Sea Games setback: Zafrul calls for shared responsibility, not blame game

The national badminton squad only secured one gold medal in the women’s doubles event through Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, who defeated Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Meilysa Trias Puspitasari. - Bernama pic, December 15, 2025


Sea Games setback: Zafrul calls for shared responsibility, not blame game


Malaysia fell short of its four-gold target at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, but BAM President Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz emphasises that the setback is a shared responsibility, not an individual failure, adding that the national squad still showed progress with nine medals, including a landmark women’s singles podium finish



Habibah Omar
Updated 3 hours ago
15 December, 2025
12:01 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR – The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has acknowledged its shortcomings and accepted the fact that Malaysia failed to achieve its target of four gold medals at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.


Describing the 2025 SEA Games as no easy stage in a statement today, BAM President Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said that in sports, results on the court cannot be hidden, and they demand honesty, courage, and shared responsibility.

However, Tengku Zafrul noted that although the gold medal target was not reached, the national squad showed positive progress by winning nine medals, surpassing the initial target of seven and more significantly, Malaysia secured a women’s singles medal, a first in six years.

This, he said, demonstrates that talent development is on the right trajectory.

“What happened is not an individual failure but a shared responsibility involving players, coaching staff, management, and leadership.

“When we win, we win as a team; when we lose, we are also collectively responsible.

“I appreciate Rexy’s openness, and my position is clear: we still need him because experience and a development philosophy cannot be measured by a single tournament,” he said in a statement today.

On Sunday, BAM’s Doubles Coaching Director Rexy Mainaky took responsibility and said he would step down if pressured by any party after failing to help Malaysia bring home four gold medals at the SEA Games in Thailand, despite fielding the best squad this time.

The national badminton squad only secured one gold medal in the women’s doubles event through Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, who defeated Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Meilysa Trias Puspitasari.

The Malaysian badminton team concluded its 2025 SEA Games campaign with one gold, two silver, and six bronze medals.

According to Zafrul, one failure does not negate the major successes of the year, such as Malaysia emerging as world champions in the mixed team event, and for the first time, the women’s team reaching the World Championship final. These are achievements that have elevated the stature of the country’s players.

“The SEA Games offer valuable lessons. We will learn, address weaknesses, and emerge stronger and more mature. This is not the end, but a stepping stone.

“As BAM President, my commitment remains: to build Malaysian badminton on a solid foundation and achieve long-term success. The journey is not over. We will continue to move forward together,” he said. – December 15, 2025