On August 3, 2024, the national women's doubles team, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, faced off against World No. 4 Chiharu Shida and Nami Matsuyama in a Bronze Medal Match. In a thrilling back-and-forth battle, they fought valiantly against the Japanese pair, but luck was not on their side. Despite not securing a bronze medal, our heroines deserve resounding applause. From the start, nothing came easy for them, and many believed they wouldn't make it past the group stage (Group A). However, they defied expectations and made history by becoming the first Malaysian women's doubles pair to reach the semi-finals of the competition. This is especially impressive considering it was their first Olympic outing.
Unfortunately, not all reactions to their performance have been positive. On social media, some individuals have criticized the team, including a user named Asmira, who commented on their choice of attire. Asmira wrote:
“May Malaysia mandate modest clothing that covers aurat for our national badminton players. If they refuse, let us pray that they open their hearts to receive His (referring to Allah) guidance.”
It is worth noting that the above caption you read was amended. Asmira's original post was worse - her original caption was as follows:
“May Malaysia mandate modest clothing that covers aurat for our national badminton players; if they refuse, just stripe their citizenship for insulting Islam.”
Asmira's post went viral and garnered 3.6k+ reactions, 1.6k comments and 1.7k shares. Her comments drew the ire of citizens with many criticizing Asmira for focusing on women's doubles pair clothing instead of their achievements. “Types C and I (referring to Malaysian-Chinese and Malaysian-Indians; see Type-C controversy to know more about Type-C labels) strive to bring honor to the country, but the Khawarij faction works to undermine our already peaceful nation. Every day they claim to be oppressed. This ideology is dangerous and must not be allowed to persist.”, commented Jimmy Ono. “The ones who should be stripped of citizenship are you and your (PAS) comrades”, commented Azrul Hisham Mastan. “As an 'Ustaz', I strongly oppose Asmira Hashim's statement and consider it an insult to Islam!”, commented Ab Shukur Azhar.
Asmira's post, which focuses on Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan's clothing rather than their achievements, underscores a troubling societal tendency to prioritize superficial judgments over genuine accomplishments. This fixation on our national athletes' attire is not only unwarranted but also unnecessary. As we celebrate the historic milestones reached by our champions, we should reflect on what truly matters: their hard work, dedication, and the honor they bring to our nation. Let us shift our focus from outward appearances to the remarkable spirit and determination that define our national pride. In doing so, we can foster a more supportive and inclusive environment that uplifts and celebrates the true essence of excellence.
Aaron Colt is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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