Chong Wei brings a new era, and a Merdeka dream could come true

IT has been a long-held dream —that a former player will some day rise to lead the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).

It is an idea many have championed for years. After all, those who have been through the grind, the heartbreaks and triumphs on court deserve the chance to shape the sport’s future from the top.

When Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz was appointed BAM president in May , I wrote in this column that his greatest legacy could be to pave the way for such a transition.

I imagined that, at the end of his four-year tenure, Zafrul could hand the baton to a former great. That would be a defining gesture for Malaysian badminton.

To my pleasant surprise, we did not have to wait four years.

Barely 100 days into Zafrul’s presidency, Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei was named to the BAM council.

The move was unprecedented, bold, timely, and a signal that the national body were willing to embrace the wisdom of one of their greatest sons.

Now, becoming a council member may be a small step. But it is a significant one.

Chong Wei is not only an icon but also an individual with the credibility, experience, and leadership qualities to eventually take on the top role.

Of course, Chong Wei is not the only possible candidate. Any of the Sidek brothers – Datuk Misbun, Datuk Seri Jalani, Datuk Razif, or Datuk Rashid would have been fine too. They have the knowledge and stature to command respect.

Of course, there is no guarantee that a former player will succeed as a top administrator. Yet, if we never give them the opportunity, we will never know.

This is Chong Wei’s chance to show that former players can shine in administration and in doing so, open the door for others to follow in his footsteps.

Throughout his career, Chong Wei proved himself to be made of the right stuff. He set milestone after milestone, carrying the nation’s hopes with discipline, commitment, and grit.

His career was not without turbulence and heartbreaks as he was forced to give up due to nose cancer in 2019.

But even in those moments, he showed the resilience of a true champion. These same qualities will be his greatest assets as an administrator.

But credibility alone is not enough. Chong Wei should not become just a symbolic figure sitting in management. His voice must carry weight.

He must be given the power and space to contribute meaningfully to decisions.

Beyond BAM, I also hope his influence will help shake up the state associations.

The supply of talent has slowed to a trickle. There are leaks in the pipeline, and the grassroots system has grown stagnant.

Placing proven former players at state level would be a good first step to refresh the structure.

Professional clubs too should be strengthened. Many of them are already run by ex-shuttlers, but their players need equal opportunities to compete abroad. Imagine if we had healthy rivalry between states and clubs. The surge of new talent would be unstoppable.

As Chong Wei ponders how to dig deep into his experience to help current players, the coming week will also be emotional for him.

The World Championships in Paris begin on Monday,. It’s a tournament he came agonisingly close to winning on four occasions. This writer was with him all four times ­­­— in London, Guangzhou, Copenhagen and Jakarta when he fought for the title, only to fall short.

His narrow 22-20, 14-21, 21-23 loss to Lin Dan at Wembley in 2011 still haunts fans. His silver in Copenhagen in 2014 was later stripped due to a doping violation, another painful chapter.

Now, as he watches from the sidelines, he will surely hope that professional Lee Zii Jia or BAM’s Leong Jun Hao and the doubles players will rise to the occasion.

We have seen it in athletics this week as 21-year-old Kristian Tung broke a 40-year national record in the men’s 3,000m, erasing the old mark held by M. Muthiah.

Malaysian shuttlers too can rise above expectations.

And if they do, and defy odds to deliver, it will be a perfect Merdeka gift for the country.

*The writer wishes the best to all the Malaysian players led by 2022 men’s doubles world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik as they go all out in Paris in their bid for glory at the World Championships.