The honourable resignation of Malaysian badminton boss

 

Norza Zakaria has acknowledged that Hannah Yeoh had helped him tremendously to advance Malaysian badminton internationally and locally since she became the minister about two years ago.

PETALING JAYA: The next president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will inherit a well-run organisation not in need of major transformation.

Outgoing boss Norza Zakaria has bequeathed to his successor an internal structure that is in good shape, having steered BAM through significant challenges and improving its financial position.

Norza leaves BAM on Aug 24 in a strong position to move forward, with a clear strategic direction to build performance, pathways, participation and sustainability.

He rode the successes and the crises with composure, with valuable assistance from youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh over the last two years.

On his watch, BAM signed its biggest sponsorship deal with Petronas in 2022 for a three-year period, on top of a five-year sponsorship deal with Yonex worth RM55 million in April 2021.

The BAM council also agreed to implement performance-based incentives for state associations, and a club accreditation system similar to that done by some European countries.

Change is welcome, inevitable, but there is no need for the new set-up to rip it up and start again.

The sound standing of BAM is the reason for the wide respect for Norza’s decision to resign as president after the Paris Olympics.

Many have described his choice to step down as honourable.

Yeoh had said he was fulfilling a promise he had made earlier to resign from his position.

She said she was confident Norza would put in place the preparations to ensure things moved in an orderly manner.

Which is why Yeoh remains such a sunny force of optimism in the face of plenty of big BAM decisions to come.

Yeoh’s unflinching support

Norza has acknowledged Yeoh had helped him tremendously to advance Malaysian badminton internationally and locally since she became the minister about two years ago.

He has declared his admiration for Yeoh’s genuine efforts to uplift sport in Malaysia, and is confident that the minister, together with the new BAM leadership, would succeed in taking badminton to new heights.

It was Yeoh who persuaded Norza to stay on until the Paris Olympic Games, which runs from July 26 to Aug 11.

The corporate figure, who has led BAM since 2017, had previously announced that he wanted to relinquish his post in December last year.

He had even named his successor as investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, a name that wasn’t well-received by certain quarters.

To contain the dissent, Norza named BAM deputy president V Subramaniam as the acting president until the annual general meeting next year to elect new officials.

Norza has said he has done enough to build BAM to what it is now. “I’m not bigger than the institution”, he said.

His parting gift to Malaysia: “I will do my best to ensure our shuttlers will deliver the Olympic gold the nation is craving for.”

Malaysian sport will still benefit from the sporting acumen of Norza as he will remain as the Olympic Council of Malaysia president until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. - FMT