KUALA LUMPUR: When Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin took the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) leadership to task two days ago, many thought it would spark major changes in the national body.
There were changes, but nothing drastic or radical.
Probably, the one good talking point that came out of the two-hour council meeting on Saturday was a decision to appoint an expert to handle the coaching and training committee, which will now be known as the Capabilities, Skills and Research (CSR) committee. 
The role of this expert could be similar to that of national coaching director and one name that keeps popping up as a possible candidate is that of Denmark’s Morten Frost.
The other decision taken was to relieve BAM president Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff of his additional roles.
Prior to this meeting, Tengku Mahaleel was the acting Talent Management Group (TMG) director and the chairman of the coaching and training. After the meeting, it was decided that he won’t be holding those two posts.
Well, that’s on paper. In actual fact, he will still be involved in them in different capacities.
The TMG director’s post may no longer exist, but the group will be overseen by a five-member steering committee – which includes Tengku Mahaleel.
As for the coaching and training committee, which is now known as CSR, he will be the acting chairman until a new man is appointed.
So, it’s back to square one.
But that’s not the way Tengku Mahaleel sees it.
“I will not run the day-to-day operations. I’m no longer acting as the TMG director. This group will be run by the steering committee,” said Tengku Mahaleel.
“We are also looking for a person to head the CSR. We are interviewing a few candidates … we are looking for an expert.”
Asked about Khairy’s concern over the lack of successors coming through and the national body’s heavy reliance on world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, Tengku Mahaleel said that he would meet the minister soon to explain the situation.
The other decisions:
- Razif Sidek and Tan Kim Her are no longer the assessors.
- Tan Kim Her will continue with coaching (though nothing was mentioned about his contract, which expires in February)
- Budget for the year has been approved
- A new committee to focus solely on the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) has been set up
- There will be new inter-state, inter-school and inter-club competitions
- Move to beef up the commercial side.
- CSR to look into the injuries of players – especially in the women’s department.
