22/05/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | MAY 22, 2026

FOLLOW

ON FACEBOOK

31

Malaysian Paper

/thesundaily /

Rosman to make late call on Pearly-Thinaah

A decision on whether Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, will compete in the Singapore Open is expected to be made tomorrow. Women’s doubles head coach Rosman Razak said the decision would be made based on daily assessments of Pearly’s fitness level as she recov ers from a back injury. He said that based on yesterday’s assess ment, the country’s top pair had about a 90% chance of competing in Singapore, although the player’s condition could still change over the next few days. “As of yesterday, I could say 90%, but I do not

MTA eyes credibility and competitive growth JIDOKWAN Malaysia Taekwondo Association (MTA) President Datuk Seri Halim Ishak has out lined three key strategic priorities for the newly elected Executive Council for the 2026–2028 term, following the association’s Annual General Meeting held on May 14. The appointments were confirmed during the AGM, which took place at the Penang United Taekwondo Society Hall and concluded in a smooth and orderly manner. In his keynote address, Halim congratulated all newly elected committee and executive council members, while calling on the leader ship team to uphold high standards of govern ance and sports development. He highlighted three main focus areas to guide the association’s direction over the new term; integrity and unity, quality over quantity and strengthening MTA’s role as a platform for national unity. Under the first directive, he stressed the importance of cohesive leadership and transpar ency, particularly among examiners responsible for grading evaluations, urging them to main tain professionalism and integrity in their duties. The second priority calls for a shift in empha sis from membership expansion to athlete development, with a focus on producing disci plined practitioners who meet international standards of performance and technical excel lence. The third directive reinforces MTA’s position as an inclusive sporting body, emphasising its role in uniting Malaysians from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The association also reaffirmed its alignment with the National Sports Development Policy, which promotes inclusivity and rejects exclusivity based on race. Speaking at the AGM, Halim described the new mandate as a significant responsibility for the incoming leadership. “The mandate given today is a heavy respon sibility. I want MTA to serve as an exemplary sports association that is harmonious, principled and reflective of the true Malaysian spirit. The quality of our athletes and officials must be our benchmark,” he said. He also expressed appreciation to delegates for their participation, noting that the AGM was conducted in a democratic, harmonious and well-organised manner. The MTA said the new executive council will focus on strengthening governance, improving athlete development pathways and enhancing Malaysia’s standing in taekwondo at both national and international levels. – theSun Team He added that the decision is important to avoid the risk of recurring injuries while ensuring the pair’s long-term planning is not affected. – Bernama “In training, we can anticipate things, but the competition environment is different. That is why we are taking it day by day,” he said. Rosman said Pearly and Thinaah are still reg istered for the Singapore Open and the Indonesia Open, but their participation could still be withdrawn if the pair are not fully fit. equaliser. Their best opportunity came in the 67th minute when Noor Al-Rawabdeh’s close-range effort struck the post. Head coach Kim Pan-gon later introduced Muhammad Syahir Bashah and Muhammad Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi in a final push for a goal, but the hosts failed to break through. The 1-0 result gives Buriram the edge ahead of next Wednesday’s return leg at Buriram Stadium in Thailand.

resumed on-court training over the past two weeks, the player’s psychological condition and confidence level would also be taken into con sideration before a final decision is made. Players returning from injury, he said, usually still face trauma about competing again at high intensity in competitive tournaments. “There are other factors that need to be con sidered. “Not just the injury, including psychological aspects and confidence.

know the condition tomorrow or the day after because it can change. “I may make the decision at the last minute, perhaps on Saturday,” he told the media when met on Wednesday. Previously, the media reported that the world number two pair had to withdraw from the Masters tournament after Pearly was con firmed to have not yet fully recovered her fitness. Rosman added that although Pearly has shown very positive recovery progress and has

Kabaddi drive targets future national stars IN an effort to promote kabaddi, which remains a niche sport in Malaysia, the inaugural Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Kabaddi Championship was held at Dewan Kolej Ungku Omar, Kampus Sultan Azlan Shah, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) on May 16 and 17. The tournament was organised by Kolej Ungku Omar in collaboration with the Kabaddi Association of Malaysia (KAM), Perak Kabaddi Association (PKA), UPSI Kabaddi Club, UPSI Sports Centre and the South East Asia Kabaddi Federation. The championship aimed to identify new talents to represent the country while promoting the sport across all races and communities. Organisers also hope kabaddi can eventually be elevated to a higher level at university competitions and the Sukma. The event attracted 16 teams from institutes of higher learning, including Multimedia University, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah, Politeknik Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Kolej Vokasional Wakaf Tembusu Terengganu, and two teams from Thailand National Sports University’s Krabi campus. Programme director K. Sherraan said the tournament was not only meant to uncover new talent but also to strengthen ties among universities and higher learning institutions. Meanwhile, PKA deputy chairman Prabakaran Maksvaran expressed hope that such tournaments would continue to be organised to help kabaddi gain wider recognition and development. Thailand’s men’s and women’s teams emerged champions in their respective categories. UTeM finished runners-up in the men’s category, while Kolej Vokasional Wakaf Tembusu and Multimedia University shared third place. In the women’s category, Kolej Vokasional Wakaf Tembusu were runners-up, while host UPSI and UTeM jointly finished third. Thailand players Thanyalak Benrit and Wisat Wuttari won the Most Valuable Player awards in the women’s and men’s categories respectively, while several other individual awards were also presented. Ű BY P. CHANDRA SAGARAN

Time to reflect

Leong Jun Hao reacts during the 2026 Malaysia Masters first round match against China’s Hu Zhe An on Wednesday. – BERNAMAPIC

N ATIONAL men’s singles players have been urged to “look into the mirror” and confront the reality of their declining standards after another disappointing outing at the Malaysia Masters 2026. The national men’s singles department suffered a complete wipeout in the opening round for the second consecutive year after national No. 1 Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh were both eliminated at the Unifi Arena in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday. World No. 25 Jun Hao went down 19-21, 21-23 to China’s world No. 69 Hu Zhe An, while Justin was eliminated by experienced Indonesian shuttler Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, 16-21, 14-21. The latest setback has further heightened concerns over their alarming inconsistency and inability to compete on court, prompting national singles coach ing director Kenneth Jonassen to deliver a brutally honest assessment of the current situation. Jonassen said the issue was not a lack of talent or technical abil ity, but rather the players’ mentality, discipline and unwillingness to adapt to the demands of modern badminton. “I don’t feel we’re losing because of a lack of skill. No. We’re losing because of a lack of discipline to exe cute and stick to a game plan, and to stay composed even when things become uncomfortable. “You must be disciplined in all aspects. Discipline to be intrigued about how to play when it’s uncomfort able,” he told reporters at the Unifi Arena. Jonassen said both players were still too focused on producing winners and spectacular attacking shots instead of learning how to build pressure patiently through consistency and tactical awareness. “In today’s badminton, you cannot rely on attack ing shots all the time. The game has changed. Consistency and the ability to make your opponent

Malaysia’s men’s singles standards under fire after another flop

uncomfortable are far more important now,” he said. The Dane also admitted confidence within the camp had dropped significantly following Malaysia’s underwhelming Thomas Cup campaign earlier this month, which saw the team crash out in the quarterfi nals after a 0-3 defeat to defending champions China. In the meantime, Jonassen said lasting improve ment would only happen if players themselves were willing to change their daily habits, mindset and train ing intensity. “Training is not just training (for the sake) of train ing. It is always preparation for the next tournament. That must be the mindset. It’s not something I just come in and do. If I hit the gym, I’m there to get stronger. If I hit the court, I’m there with a specific plan, not just to get through the two hours. I need tar gets. Any player who comes in must have that mind set: ‘How do I want to become better today?’ If we get that quality, we have a chance,” he said. Despite his criticism, the 51-year-old insisted he still believed in the current crop of players, including Leong Jun Hao, but stressed that their future would depend entirely on their willingness to change. “I strongly believe in second chances or even last chances, but it all comes down to the willingness to change, adapt and learn new things on a day-to-day basis,” he said. He said the girls are reaching the point where they accept that things can get very uncomfortable out there, and when things go wrong, they do not look elsewhere but at themselves in the mirror. – Bernama Kingsley Schindler firing narrowly wide minutes later. The breakthrough finally came in the 24th min ute when Suphanat rose unmarked to head home a cross from Theerathon Bunmathan. Buriram almost doubled their lead in first half stoppage time, but Sikh Izhan produced a crucial save to deny Suphanat from close range. Selangor responded with greater urgency after the break, increasing the tempo in search of an

Advantage Buriram, Selangor under pressure DEFENDING champions Buriram United FC will take a narrow advantage into the second leg of the 2025/26 Asean Club Championship final after edg ing Selangor FC 1-0 at the MBPJ Stadium on Wednesday night.

The visitors started brightly and nearly opened the scoring in the sixth minute, but Suphanat Mueanta squandered a one-on-one chance against Selangor goalkeeper Sikh Izhan Nazrel. Buriram continued to pile on the pressure, with