MOE, Perodua commend badminton talents

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) – The Badminton Talent Development Programme (BTDP), a five-year collaboration between Perodua and the Ministry of Education (MOE), wrapped up its first year with the national finals at EduCity Sports Complex, Iskandar Puteri recently.

Some 128 finalists from primary schools across the country competed, with Lim Jun Lee (Pahang) and Wong Au Mel (Kuala Lumpur) for under-9, Lim Boon Le (Pahang) and Saidatul Saadiah Muhammad (Sabah) for under-10 and Loh Ziheng (Kedah) and Shaneesa Shahidi (Melaka) for under-11, emerging champions in the boys’ and girls’ categories respectively.

In the doubles under-11 contest, Kee Is Qian and Loh Ziheng (Kedah) in the boys’ category and Dania Avriel Alviera Azif and Dania Sofea (Johor) in the girls’ category, emerged the winners.

“The BTDP was jointly launched with Perodua in February to find and develop badminton talents in the hope that they would one day represent the nation in a sport that is so irrevocably close to the hearts of Malaysians,” said Education Minister, Dr Maszlee Malik, in a statement.

“Now -- 2,800 children, 140 coaches, 70 badminton development centres, four tournament stages and eight months later – we have 10 young national champions we can all be proud of,” he added.

“When I saw that many of these children were not from well-to-do families and had never even touched a badminton racquet prior to this, but now are highly-competent, I knew we had a great partner in the MOE to potentially change the lives of these children,” said Perodua president and chief executive officer, Datuk Dr Aminar Rashid Salleh, at the prize-giving ceremony.

“They have been given the chance to represent their schools, districts and states, and it is our hope that they will go on to proudly bear the Jalur Gemilang at regional and international competitions,” he added.

Besides promoting an active and healthy lifestyle, participants develop camaraderie, sportsmanship, respect and a competitive spirit throughout the programme.

“The talent, dedication and potential I see here gives me great hope for the future of Malaysian badminton, and I cannot wait to see a return to the glory days,” said Dr Maszlee.

-- BERNAMA