KUALA LUMPUR – With the Paris Olympics done and dusted, the national badminton camp, including players and coaches, have come forward to express their gratitude towards the outgoing Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president, Tan Sri Norza Zakaria.
Among those expressing appreciation are men’s doubles shuttler Aaron Chia, BAM coaching director Rexy Mainaky and men’s doubles coach Tan Bin Shen.
Speaking to Scoop, Aaron, who retained the Olympic bronze medal with his partner Soh Wooi Yik, said: “Tan Sri is the person I want to thank the most because he helped us a lot, especially me and Wooi Yik.
“Many times, Wooi Yik and I have met him personally to seek advice, because he knows a lot, both on and off the court.”
Coaching director Rexy, who returned to the national fold for a second stint in 2021, acknowledged Norza’s ambitious nature, describing it as a driving force behind BAM’s success in producing future talents.
“I don’t know where to start, but we will miss him a lot once he steps down as BAM president.
“Tan Sri is a very ambitious man, and it’s because of him that we won our first world championships title in badminton (Aaron and Wooi Yik), and also saw the rise of other top pairs like Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, as well as our mixed doubles duo Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.
“Yes, the Olympic gold has eluded us, but I’m confident that we will win gold in Los Angeles (in 2028) as we continue to build on the foundation that Tan Sri has laid for Malaysian badminton.
“What we have today – the facilities, the players, and the expertise – are all thanks to him, mainly because of the confidence he commands from our sponsors and other stakeholders.
“A president like him doesn’t come around often,” Rexy added.
While Malaysia have yet to win the coveted Olympic gold medal, under Norza, who became president in 2017, Malaysia have never returned empty-handed from the Games.
Men’s doubles coach Tan Bin Shen, who joined the national set-up four years ago, said Norza, who is also the president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, is one of the most hands-on National Sports Association presidents in the country.
“I agree that Tan Sri has done a lot for Malaysian badminton, sometimes more behind the scenes.
“We get to send our backup players to so many tournaments because of his support,” said Bin Shen.
Regardless of the results in Paris, Norza has already confirmed that he will step down immediately after the Games. Following his departure, BAM will be helmed by Datuk V. Subramaniam, who will serve as interim president at least until the presidential elections next year. – August 12, 2024