KUALA LUMPUR – The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has left the selection of players for upcoming tournaments to its coaching leadership, Rexy Mainaky, and Kenneth Jonassen and Performance Chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei.
Speaking to Scoop, BAM president Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the move is aimed at helping players stay focused while delivering better returns on investment (ROI) for the association.
“We have discussed this with the coaching directors, Kenneth and Rexy, and they have provided their advice.
“After speaking with the performance committee chairman, Chong Wei, they suggested it would be better for players to focus on specific tournaments, with clear selection criteria for each. I am leaving these decisions to them.
“I don’t have the details because I don’t want to micromanage, but I trust that this approach is sensible and logical,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul added that selective scheduling would not negatively affect player rankings or qualification for major events, including the 2028 Olympic Games.
“We discussed this with both coaching directors during the BAM Council meeting, and they confirmed that selective scheduling will not affect players’ rankings, especially considering that the next Olympic Games is only in 2028,” he said.
He also stressed that the approach helps players avoid fatigue caused by back-to-back tournaments.
“They explained to me that this approach ensures a higher ROI and allows players to remain more focused. Sometimes, they compete in consecutive tournaments, which can be exhausting.
“For example, after the Malaysia Open, all the players travelled to the India Open on the same day,” Tengku Zafrul said.
The BAM president emphasised that while the association will continue to provide strategic oversight, detailed decisions will be left to the coaching team.
At the ongoing India Open, Malaysian shuttlers have recorded mixed results in the early rounds. Lee Zii Jia exited early after a first-round loss to Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke, while top men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik advanced to the second round after their compatriots retired mid-match due to injury.
Men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei–Nur Izzuddin Rumsani failed to defend their title after suffering a surprise defeat to Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan.
In women’s doubles, world number two pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah reached the second round with a straight-sets victory.
Another men’s doubles pairing, Chia Weijie and Lwi Sheng Hao, were eliminated in the opening round, while Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun progressed to the second round with a win over fellow Malaysians Tan Wee Kiong and Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub.
The tournament remains in its early stages, with more matches set to determine which Malaysian players stay in contention. — January 15, 2026