KUALA LUMPUR – Despite 32 years having passed, Malaysian badminton legend Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek still recalls with regret his inability to contribute points in the 1992 Thomas Cup final, even though Malaysia made history by emerging as the champions.
At that time, Jalani served as the vice-captain behind his brother, Datuk Razif Sidek, as the pair fell to Indonesia’s Eddy Hartono and Rudy Gunawan in the men’s doubles.
However, Jalani’s teammates rallied to secure the victory for Malaysia after a 25-year wait for the Thomas Cup, thanks to Datuk Rashid Sidek, Datuk Foo Kok Keong and men’s doubles duo, Datuk Cheah Soon Kit-Soo Beng Kiang, winning over Indonesia 3-2 in the finals.
In fact, Jalani revealed that he was almost unable to compete due to a fever but was persuaded by the late Tan Sri Elyas Omar, then-president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), to play despite his illness.
For him, the spirit of playing wholeheartedly for the country seems to be diminishing among current players, and he hopes that the national players can emulate the high fighting spirit displayed by every member of the 1992 squad.
“I’m not saying that I’m good, but when we talk about the spirit and determination that we should exhibit, don’t you think I wasn’t disheartened when I lost my match in the final?
“However, I would have been even more disappointed if I hadn’t played in that final against Indonesia. But if I hadn’t played, the men’s doubles pairs might have been separated and wouldn’t have been as formidable.
“For instance, if I hadn’t played, Razif might have partnered with (Datuk Cheah) Soon Kit, and (Soo) Beng Kiang might have paired with Rahman (Sidek). Do you think they would have formed such a strong team?
“The late Tan Sri Elyas came to see me, persuading me to play even though I was extremely ill. I hesitated because I feared the worst, but one of his statements softened my heart. He said, ‘Jack, please play for the country. Even if you lose, I’ll be proud because you’re sacrificing for the nation and this team.’
“I still went out to play despite my fever. Before stepping onto the court, I placed ice cubes on my head, in the scorching heat of the stadium. By the third set, I had to receive a drip from the medical team.
“People only knew that the captain and vice-captain lost. Don’t you think I wasn’t embarrassed? Even now, I feel ashamed, but I fought, and this is the story I share with all players for them to learn from and increase their determination to fight better for the country.
“Although we won and ended the country’s 25-year wait, I was still saddened by the loss to Eddy Hartono and Rudy Gunawan. If you noticed, there aren’t many pictures of me from the final because I was at the back receiving a drip from the medical team,” said Jalani.
Malaysia’s journey during the 1992 Thomas Cup campaign was not smooth despite being held on home soil, with the national squad not being favoured to win the title.
The journey began on a positive note for Malaysia at the National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, defeating England 5-0 in the opening match of Group B. However, they faced a setback with a 2-3 loss to South Korea before securing a spot in the semi-finals as group runners-up by defeating Denmark 5-0.
The turning point came when Malaysia stunned top-seeded China with a 3-2 victory, thanks to contributions from Rashid, who defeated Zhao Jian Hua, followed by Jalani and his brother Razif overcoming Li Yongbo-Tian Bing Yi, and Soon Kit-Beng Kiang securing the win over Zhang Yumin-Huang Zhangzhong, propelling Malaysia to the final.
Reflecting on the current situation faced by the national squad, Jalani believes it bears similarities to the challenges encountered by the 1992 team.
Nevertheless, they managed to overcome their differences and clinch the Thomas Cup title.
Various controversies surrounded the national squad before their departure to Chengdu, including Ng Tze Yong’s injury crisis leading to his last-minute withdrawal, a shortage of quality singles players, and image rights issues involving Lee Zii Jia, which resulted in BAM compensating the player.
“Many may not know that before the Thomas Cup, Soon Kit and Beng Kiang were facing a crisis and wanted to part ways.
“But we all sought the late Tan Sri Elyas’s help to resolve the issue. We sat down to discuss, and they agreed to set aside all issues for the nation’s sake.
“If we could do it, why not the current team? We ended a 25-year wait, and now it’s their turn to make history again, to end this 32-year wait,” he added. – April 24, 2024