Kuala Lumpur: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh hopes that newly-appointed Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz will review the national governing body’s ecosystem to ensure the welfare of all national shuttlers is safeguarded.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hannah also advised shuttlers to remain under the BAM umbrella instead of turning professional so that they can continue receiving full government support through the association. “There are many factors to be considered when a shuttler contemplates staying with BAM or turning pro. The advantage of staying with BAM is that they will have ready sparring partners, which is something that will be lacking should they turn pro and which can also affect their performance,” she said.

Hannah emphasized the importance of reviewing the ecosystem to ensure players receive the best possible support. She highlighted that staying with BAM allows shuttlers to benefit from government assistance in an orderly manner, as various types of support are channelled through BAM.

She made these remarks at the launch of a video to raise awareness about the Drug-Free Youth campaign, in collaboration with a cinema chain and national athletes, which was also attended by National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh.

Meanwhile, Hannah expressed satisfaction with the performance of the national shuttlers at the 2024 Malaysia Masters, which concluded recently. She mentioned that with the presence of coaches and support from the RTG (Road to Gold) programme, there is potential to further enhance their performance. A budget has been allocated for the National Sports Council (NSC) talent development programme this year to ensure a steady supply of new talents.

Earlier at the event, Hannah announced a strategic collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), through the Rakan Muda Development Division, the National Youth and Sports Department (JBSN), and TGV Cinemas to further empower the Drug-Free Youth campaign. This initiative involves screening videos raising awareness of the dangers of drugs and banned substances before movies at TGV Cinemas nationwide.

“We launched the awareness video in partnership with TGV, which has cinemas at 40 locations nationwide, except in Sabah. TGV cinemas have also assisted the government in a promotional video campaign to fight baby dumping. The campaign was effective in encouraging those affected to seek government assistance. This time, we are collaborating with the AADK to bring this series of promotional videos to cinemas because many who go for movies are youths,” she said.