KUALA LUMPUR: The Youth and Sports Ministry hopes former national badminton ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei (pix) remains with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) following his retirement, for the betterment of the sport in the country.
Its minister, Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman said Chong Wei’s services were sorely needed, including in “sparring sessions” with the younger athletes.
“The ministry has also been informed that Chong Wei intends to collaborate in the building of a badminton academy in Kedah.
“At the moment though, we shall allow him some space and time to rest,“ he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PH-Tanah Merah) on whether the ministry planned to use Chong Wei’s services to produce more high-performing badminton players.
Syed Saddiq added that the ministry, in a mutual agreement with the Olympic Council of Malaysia (MOM), had decided to appoint Chong Wei as the national contingent’s Chef-de-Mission at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
“I’m confident his aura, advice and guidance will inspire other young athletes to continue serving the nation and ultimately contribute to Malaysia’s first gold medal in the Olympic Games,“ he said. — Bernama
