PETALING JAYA: Nothing has changed.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) remain resolute in their mission to bring home the Thomas Cup in Horsens, Denmark, brushing aside concerns over the inconsistent form of the men’s singles department.
BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz stressed that the governing body must continue to aim high, with winning the Thomas Cup listed as one of the five key targets under the Tangkis Juara 2030 blueprint introduced last October.
Zafrul said the players chosen to represent the country must show resilience and belief as they bid to end Malaysia’s 34 year wait for the title, having last lifted the trophy on home soil in 1992.
“In sports and in life, we all have targets. Individuals have personal goals, companies have targets and BAM have ours. For me, it is always better to aim for the sky. If you fall short, that is acceptable, but you must give your absolute best.
“What we do not want is to create excuses if we fail. Instead, we learn from the experience and come back stronger,” said Zafrul.
At the moment, the situation does not look very promising for the national squad to win the Thomas Cup, with the men’s singles players’ performances at the Asia Team Championships in Qingdao falling short of expectations.
Malaysia also bowed out at the quarter-final stage and did not qualify on merit. However, the team are expected to face no issues participating in Horsens, as they will qualify through their world ranking.
Zafrul has placed his trust in the current coaching structure, including performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, to chart the right course for the team.
“I am optimistic. We have the players, we have the coaches and we have the leadership in BAM to make this happen. This is our opportunity and we must believe we can win.
“In sport, there will be winners and losers. You cannot win every time. But for Malaysia, the most important thing is that we give everything we have,” he added.
Zafrul was speaking after hosting a visit by BAM patron Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also the wife of the Prime Minister, at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara yesterday.
During the meeting, Zafrul briefed Wan Azizah on the national team’s mission and received her full support for their bid to win the Thomas Cup.
“She agreed with our target to go all out to win the Thomas Cup. She also emphasised that discipline will be a key ingredient in achieving that success,” said Zafrul.
