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Hannah Yeoh Condemns Former BAM Athlete’s Racist Remarks

Hannah Yeoh Condemns Former BAM Athlete’s Racist Remarks

Former badminton backup player Bong Guan Yik alleged that Malaysia’s national athletes performed badly due to the “lazy” Malay-led management in the badminton association.

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A former Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) backup player Bong Guan Yik stirred controversy in Douyin (China’s Tiktok) just a few days after the case of Hanis Nadiah Onn, the national hockey player, was put to bed.

READ MORE: National Hockey Player Suspended For Racist Comment About AR Rahman Concert

Bong claimed that the country’s national players performed badly at the Malaysian Open 2023 because “BAM is managed by Malays.”

He further went on to claim that the Malay-led management was lazy and “only knows how to eat.” He claimed the management had no intention of improving or advancing the sport in the country.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh caught wind of the video and upon investigation found that Bong is no longer Malaysia’s national athlete.

Bong was a former badminton backup player in 2014 and is no longer living in Malaysia.

Although Bong apologized for his insensitive remarks, Hannah strongly condemns any speech that touched on racial and religious sensitivities.

She clarified that a person’s religious worship does not interfere with their performance as an athlete, saying it has never been a problem in Malaysia.

She reiterated her position that sports must be free from any racial or political elements, adding that national athletes serve as an inspiration to the rakyat.

Hannah also advised everyone to be careful of what they post on social media.

Hannah’s swift action was praised online while Bong’s remarks received criticism. The netizens felt he has forgotten Malaysia’s multiracial and multireligious society and culture.

Some of them also believe he should come back to Malaysia to coach the national team and prove his mettle instead of just “talking big.”

Despite all the big talk, some netizens admitted that they do not know Bong and wondered how many championships he has participated in or won.

Although Bong’s remarks were unwarranted, a few netizens acknowledged that BAM’s management needed improvements.

@ahboy282 Bekas Pemain🇲🇾kata Melayu sembahyang 5kali sehari Takde niat nak jaga BAM …hidup kat tahun 2023 mindset masih mcm ni haizzz##badmintonmalaysia🇲🇾##ahboybadminton##malaysiatiktok##badminton ♬ original sound – ahboybadminton

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