Bangkok — Malaysia’s hopes of finally ending their 20-year drought in the SEA Games men’s badminton team event vanished once again after suffering a 0–3 defeat to Indonesia in the 2025 final at the Thammasat Rangsit Gymnasium on Monday.

The loss extends Malaysia’s painful run against their regional rivals. Indonesia have now beaten Malaysia in four of the last five SEA Games finals—2017 (Kuala Lumpur), 2019 (Philippines), 2023 (Cambodia), and now 2025 in Thailand. Malaysia also missed out on the title in 2021 after losing to Thailand in Vietnam.

Malaysia last won the men’s team gold in Manila 2005, and the wait continues.

Match 1: Leong Jun Hao Falls Short in Opening Singles

The final started on shaky ground for Malaysia when Leong Jun Hao was unable to establish rhythm against Indonesia’s rising star Alwi Farhan. Despite a stronger push in the second game, the world No. 28 Malaysian went down 12–21, 19–21 in a 46-minute battle.

Match 2: Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik Outplayed

The pressure then shifted to Malaysia’s top men’s doubles duo Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik, but the former world champions were far from their best.
Indonesia’s Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani / Sabar Karyaman Gutama dominated the match, handing Malaysia a decisive blow with a 21–12, 21–12 win.

Both Aaron and Wooi Yik admitted disappointment with their performance.

Wooi Yik said he felt frustrated not being able to secure a point for the team, while Aaron acknowledged their defeat was largely caused by “too many unforced errors”.

“Most of it came from easy mistakes. That was the main reason we lost. Our opponents were in excellent form, and they’re one of the strongest pairs in the world right now,” Aaron added.

Match 3: Justin Hoh Unable to Revive the Fight

Malaysia’s last hope rested on Justin Hoh, but the young shuttler struggled to match the speed and aggression of world No. 38 Muhammad Zaki Ubaidillah.

Justin lost 12–21, 14–21, sealing Indonesia’s 3–0 victory and Malaysia’s heartbreak.

Malaysia’s players will now shift their focus to the individual events, which begin tomorrow.

Coaches React: “Desire to Win Turned Into Pressure”

Malaysia’s men’s singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen believed the team’s overwhelming desire to win may have contributed to the collapse.

“We wanted the gold so badly that we lost balance between emotion and clarity. When emotions take over, tactical decisions become harder to execute,” Jonassen said.

He added that the defeat clearly shows Malaysia still has work to do ahead of the 2025 Thomas Cup in Horsens, Denmark.

Jonassen also noted:

• Leong Jun Hao became overly eager even when leading in the second game.

• Justin Hoh struggled with excessive errors and never recovered after falling behind.

Doubles Head Coach Herry Iman Pierngadi: “We Should Have Done Better”

Malaysia’s men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi expressed disappointment with the performance of Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik, especially given their world No. 2 ranking.

“As the second-best pair in the world, their performance today should have been stronger. They were not playing at the level we expected,” Herry said.

He warned that both Indonesian and Malaysian pairs are strong across singles and doubles, and any slip in focus can be costly.

A 20-Year Wait Continues

Malaysia’s failure to end their two-decade gold-medal drought in the men’s team event means the pressure continues to build.
Indonesia, meanwhile, reaffirmed their dominance as Southeast Asia’s premier badminton powerhouse.

The 2025 Thailand SEA Games, held from December 9 to 20 in Bangkok and Chonburi, will now move into the individual badminton events — where Malaysia hopes to restore pride and return home with medals.