Bangkok — Malaysia’s national badminton doubles director Rexy Mainaky has stated his willingness to accept full responsibility — including stepping down — following the national team’s failure to meet its gold medal target at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand. However, growing voices within the badminton community believe that judging Rexy’s contribution purely through SEA Games results would be both unfair and short-sighted.
Malaysia concluded its badminton campaign with one gold, two silver, and six bronze medals, falling well below the four-gold target set by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
The lone gold medal came from women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan / M. Thinaah, who produced a strong performance in the final to defeat Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma / Meilysa Trias Puspitasari in three games.
In contrast, expectations in other doubles disciplines were not met.
Men’s doubles world champions Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik settled for silver after a straight-games loss to Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama / Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, while mixed doubles world champions Chen Tang Jie / Toh Ee Wei exited at the semifinal stage and took bronze. Malaysia’s men’s team also missed out on gold after a 0–3 defeat to Indonesia in the final.
Rexy: “Responsibility Comes With the Role”
Speaking candidly after the tournament, Rexy acknowledged that criticism was inevitable and reiterated that he is prepared to shoulder the consequences.
“We set a target of four gold medals, and naturally people will question us when we fall short,” Rexy said.
“That responsibility belongs to us. The target was not unrealistic — based on our doubles performances, it was achievable. But we did not deliver.”
He added that if the association believes leadership changes are necessary, he is prepared to accept that decision.
Why SEA Games Results Should Not Define Rexy’s Legacy
Despite the disappointment in Thailand, many observers argue that Rexy Mainaky has already delivered results at the highest level of world badminton — results that matter far more in the long term.
Under Rexy’s leadership:
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Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik won the 2022 World Championships men’s doubles title, ending Malaysia’s long wait for a world champion in the discipline.
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Rexy recruited Nova Widianto, whose guidance played a key role in Chen Tang Jie / Toh Ee Wei winning the 2025 World Championships mixed doubles gold.
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Malaysia’s men’s doubles department has become one of the most stable and competitive in the world, with consistent presence in major tournaments.
Critics acknowledge that expectations for the SEA Games may have been over-promised, but stress that this should not erase years of progress and proven success on the global stage.
Is the SEA Games the Right Benchmark?
Another key question being raised is whether the SEA Games should carry such disproportionate weight in evaluating coaching performance.
Historically, even badminton powerhouse like Indonesia do not always field their strongest lineups at the SEA Games. Moreover, a SEA Games gold medal has never been a reliable indicator of long-term success on the BWF World Tour.
A review of past SEA Games champions shows that many medal winners did not go on to become consistent world-level contenders, reinforcing the argument that the event should not be treated as the ultimate benchmark for elite badminton development.
Where Responsibility Truly Lies
While Rexy has shown professionalism by offering accountability, many within the badminton fraternity believe the larger responsibility lies with BAM’s management and goal-setting process, not with coaches who have already delivered world titles.
High-performance systems succeed when:
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Targets are aligned with athlete readiness
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Development pathways are prioritized over short-term medal counts
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Coaches are evaluated based on World Tour and World Championships outcomes, not regional multi-sport events alone
Conclusion
Rexy Mainaky’s willingness to accept responsibility reflects strong leadership. However, resignation should not be the conclusion drawn from an underwhelming SEA Games campaign.
His track record — producing world champions, stabilizing Malaysia’s doubles structure, and strengthening the coaching ecosystem — speaks louder than one tournament’s medal tally.
If accountability is required, many argue it should begin at the policy and management level, not with coaches who continue to deliver results where it matters most: the world stage of badminton.
