Skip to main content

Minister Worries Backlash From Zakry, Fairuziziun's Resignation

KEMAMAN, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has to prove that it is still a relevant body to ensure continuing excellence in national badminton, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

He said if more players decided to follow the footsteps of Zakry Abdul Latif and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari, who left the national elite squad, it could be construed that the association was no longer relevant.

Expressing his shock over the departure of the duo, Ahmad Shabery said the development would tarnish BAM integrity as it was not able to retain players under its ambit.

"BAM had been given the mandate to develop players, and if more players decided to leave, we are worried old wounds will bleed again as in the departures of Muhammad Hafiz Hashim and Misbun (Datuk Misbun Sidek), much to the detriment of all quarters," he told Bernama before presenting aid to the needy from the Ayer Puteh state constituency here today.

BAM president Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh told a news conference yesterday that BAM had accepted the resignation of Zakry and Fairuzizuan after 15 years of service without any conditions.

Ahmad Shabery said the National Sports Council (NSC) would get into the bottom of the matter as the ministry was concern on the backlash if more players decided to leave BAM or whether the incident was merely an isolated case.

Zakry, 29, and Fairuziziun, 28, sent their resignation letters to BAM on Aug 17 stating their intention to become independent players.

They were former second national doubles pair before coach Rexy Mainaky decided to split them with Hoon Thien How and Ong Soon Hock.

-- BERNAMA

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...

Indonesia Choose Komodo Dragon As SEA Games Mascot

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- Host for the 26th SEA Games, Indonesia has chosen the Komodo dragon as mascot for the 2011 Games which will be held in Jakarta and Palembang from Nov 11 to 25. The Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee (Inasoc), was qouted by Jakarta Post as saying that a pair of Komodo dragons, a male (Modo) and a female (Modi), were chosen in recognition of the Republic's conservation efforts to protect the dwindling number of the rare lizard. Modo and Modi were unveiled last night at a function in Jakarta, to mark the 200-day countdown before the games open on Nov 11 in Palembang. The Komodo dragons, the largest lizard in the world, only live on the Indonesian islands of Komodo in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. On Jan 15, Inasoc unveiled its logo, a Garuda eagle, to symbolize the power and grandeur of Indonesia. Indonesia dominated the Games between 1977, when it first competed, and 1997, failing to top the medal charts only twice in that p...