PETALING JAYA: Youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh has condemned a former Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) back-up player who touched on race and religion on social media.
In a video on TikTok, Bong Guan Yik claimed that the country’s national players flopped at the Malaysian Open 2023 “because BAM is managed by Malays”.
Bong, who also touched on Muslim sensitivities, went on to claim that BAM’s Malay-led management was “lazy” and had no intention of managing the association or advancing the sport in the country.
Although Bong has since apologised, Yeoh said she “strongly condemns” any speech which touches on racial and religious sensitivities.
She also dismissed Bong’s claim that religious worship interfered with the shuttlers’ performance, noting that “this has never been a problem in Malaysia”.
“I repeat (my) position that sports must be free from any racial or political elements,” she said.
“All national athletes are a source of inspiration to the community and are advised to be careful with their respective social media content.”
She said that Bong, who is not residing in Malaysia, was formerly on trial with BAM in 2014.
