PETALING JAYA: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have opened their doors to private companies to sponsor the national body and help fund an Adopt-A-Player programme for junior shuttlers.
BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the initiative was seen as a form of corporate social responsibility for private companies keen to play a role in developing badminton in Malaysia.
Under the programme, BAM plan to raise the monthly allowance for junior players from RM400 to RM1,000, with private companies and individuals given the opportunity to support a player and follow their progress.
Previously, junior players received allowances ranging from RM400 to RM600.
It has also been proposed that part of the RM1,000 allowance be channelled into savings accounts for the players' future use.
At present, BAM have 68 junior players training at the Badminton Academy Malaysia in Bukit Kiara.
"Our proposal is to be fair to everyone. We do not want sponsors to choose players individually. At the moment, we have 68 junior players and I have already spoken to two or three sponsors, but now we want to open this up to all sponsors out there.
"We are involving all 68 juniors, and sponsors can decide how much they want to support.
"Based on our estimates, one sponsor would contribute RM12,000 a year and if they want to adopt one player, BAM will decide which player they adopt. This is more of a CSR initiative for the companies involved.
"We are also finalising the terms because we want to be fair to all players. What we do not want is for some players to receive more than others just because a corporate sponsor wants to give more. Everything has to be standardised.
"There is also the savings element. Some have suggested that junior players do not need the full amount since accommodation and meals are already covered by BAM, so we want to ensure there are savings set aside for their future," said Zafrul.
Zafrul also hinted that collaboration with private companies could potentially open up employment opportunities for the players once their badminton careers come to an end.
However, he acknowledged that the details still need to be refined, as not all companies partnering BAM may be interested in offering such opportunities.
"That is why we are finalising everything. Some companies say they are open to employing them, while others are not. So we need to firm up the terms first and then advertise clearly to those who want to support, stating these are the terms of support.
"Some companies say they can take them in, but others are not in industries that require such skill sets.
"We have to look into this carefully. Our objective is fairness. It would not be right for some junior players to receive certain benefits while others do not. We want to standardise things as much as possible," he added.
