Platform to shine: Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong are the top seeds in men’s doubles at the National Championships while Goh Jin Wei (below) is competing in mixed doubles with Ng Eng Cheong.
Young shuttlers urged to step up in national meet
PUTRAJAYA: With many top names absent, Malaysia’s youth players must step up at the National Championships, which get underway today in Putrajaya.
Leading national junior coach Pang Cheh Chang stressed that this is the perfect platform for these players to vie for the prestigious national title, a crown previously claimed by many of Malaysia’s top players.
This year’s edition is missing several big names, as many continue to juggle commitments on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) calendar, while others rest ahead of the SEA Games in Thailand starting Dec 9 before heading to Hangzhou for the World Tour Finals.
Only the professional men’s doubles pair Low Hang Yee and Ng Eng Cheong stand out as strong contenders, entering the tournament as the top seeds.
Former world junior champion Goh Jin Wei is also taking part this year, but not in the women’s singles. Instead, she is competing in mixed doubles with Eng Cheong, marking only their second outing together after the Korean Masters last month.
Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in action for women’s single match during the Malaysia Open 2025 at Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
However, Cheh Chang warned that this year’s competition could be intense, with clubs and state associations unleashing fresh talent whose skills and potential remain largely unknown.
“They must have the courage to seize this opportunity and aim for the podium, such as boy’s doubles pair Isyraf Hafizin Ibrahim and Ahmad Redzuan Zulwaqarrizal, who won the Pathum Thani Junior Series in Thailand two weeks ago.
“Although that was a different age group from this tournament, they need to use this chance to make an impact against players who are more experienced.
“The National Championships are an important platform because the whole of Malaysia will be watching.
“This is for new players to be showcased. For me, it is a platform for everyone, not just national or state association players, but for clubs as well,” said Cheh Chang.
Thus, he believes this tournament could provide an opportunity for national coaches to spot rising talent worthy of joining the national team.
At the club level, there are many talented players, and if some of them manage to put in impressive performances, we could bring them into the national squad.
“For me, we are open because we want to find quality players, as in the end, all of this is for Malaysia,” he added.
