KUALA LUMPUR – Harry Hartono is poised to join the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), with the governing body reportedly 90% confident of securing his services.
Sources within the badminton fraternity said BAM’s main objective is to bolster its singles department with the addition of the Indonesian coach, particularly at the junior level, while placing greater emphasis on developing young talent.
“The deal is 90% finalised, and BAM is serious about bringing him on board based on recommendations from its committee,” a source said.
“With his extensive experience, he will be able to contribute significantly to the junior squad, which has struggled in its development over the past few years. Harry has a proven track record in Indonesia, having helped develop young talents during his tenure as the country’s men’s singles assistant coach. This coach has long been sought by BAM, and now he will finally join,” the source added.
When Scoop reached out to BAM deputy president Datuk V. Subramaniam for comment, he confirmed that Harry is under consideration but noted that other candidates are also being evaluated.
“At the recent BAM council meeting, our president, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, emphasised that the association needs to focus on development. The performance committee has submitted their plans, and part of that includes expanding our academies, which naturally requires additional coaching staff,” Subramaniam said.
“Harry is on our radar, but there are also other candidates from Indonesia and Thailand. I have yet to see the full list, and the right person to comment on this in detail is our performance chairman, Datuk Lee Chong Wei. We expect an official announcement within a week or two,” he added.
Harry recently returned to the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) as an assistant coach for the men’s singles squad, replacing Marleve Mainaky. In this role, he has worked closely with Irwansyah to coach top Indonesian players, including Anthony Ginting and Jonathan Christie.
If BAM secures his services, Harry will join the existing team of Indonesian coaches in Malaysia, which includes Rexy Mainaky (doubles coaching director), Herry Iman Pierngadi, Muhammad Miftakh (men’s doubles), and Nova Widianto (mixed doubles).
Previously, several local coaches, including Yeoh Kay Bin and Mohd Zakry Latif, were linked to BAM’s revamped coaching structure. – January 20, 2026