PETALING JAYA: Former shuttler Tan Boon Heong believes that true success is measured by how well juniors progress to the senior level – regardless of when they join the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
On Saturday (Aug 16), BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz proposed lowering the national intake age from 16 back to 13, reversing the policy introduced in 2024 under former president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria.
The move follows Malaysia’s juniors' failure to win a medal at the Asian Junior Championships last month.
While Boon Heong sees no issues in the juniors joining BAM earlier, he feels that the players' progression to the senior level is most important.
“Lowering the intake age to 13 gives players more chances to win at World and Asian Junior Championships. But excelling in juniors doesn’t guarantee medals at the Olympics or World Championships,” said the 37-year-old.
“What matters most is how they step up at the senior level. Many Malaysians shone as juniors but couldn’t sustain it. Success depends on focus, ambition, and quality training.”
Zafrul’s proposal has the backing of singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen and doubles director Rexy Mainaky, who said youngsters need time to develop and results won’t come overnight.
The BAM chief hopes to roll out the revamped programme next year, while stressing the importance of proper funding and strong state-level support.
