KUALA LUMPUR – The exodus of Malaysian badminton coaches from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) is not new, but it is striking that many find greater success abroad.
Former BAM high-performance director Datuk James Selvaraj believes the significant pay gap between local and foreign coaches is a major factor behind this trend.
“While I can’t say for sure why our coaches are leaving, the significant salary disparity may be a major reason,” said James.
“If our local coaches weren’t good enough, other successful countries wouldn’t offer them better packages to lure them in.”
Although BAM has never disclosed exact salaries, it is understood that former Indonesian coach Hendrawan earned close to RM50,000 a month during his tenure. By comparison, local coaches are believed to earn less than half that amount.
The issue resurfaced when BAM confirmed that men’s doubles coach Tan Bin Shen will leave the association on January 13, following the Malaysia Open.
Bin Shen will join the Hong Kong national team under head coach Wong Choong Hann, a former Malaysian international.
In a recent report, a reliable source told Scoop that Bin Shen could earn in the region of RM70,000 in his new role.
In addition, Choong Hann revealed in an exclusive interview with China Press that he has recruited two more Malaysian coaches, Jeremy Gan and Loh Wei Sheng, for the Hong Kong team.
Both Jeremy and Wei Sheng previously served as BAM coaches before stints with the Nippon Badminton Association and the Singapore Badminton Association, respectively.
This trend extends beyond Hong Kong. The Badminton Association of India recently announced the reappointment of Tan Kim Her, a former BAM men’s doubles coach, after his successful tenure in Japan.
Other notable Malaysian coaches thriving abroad include Lee Wan Wah (Japan), Lim Pek Siah, Wong Pei Tty and Joanne Quay (all three in Singapore), Chin Eei Hui (New Zealand), and Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin (Ireland).
BAM now faces the challenge of finding replacements for Bin Shen and Poh Chai Boon, another local coach whose contract was not renewed.
Until new appointments are made, the men’s doubles department will be overseen by Indonesian coach Muhammad Miftakh.
Moving forward, BAM will need to decide whether to hire foreign or local coaches to fill these vacancies. However, addressing the pay gap may be critical to retaining local talent.
“We need to look into these issues carefully,” James emphasised. “Our coaches have proven they are world-class by thriving in highly competitive environments overseas.” — December 21, 2024