BAM Urged To Field Back-up Men's Doubles At 2025 SEA Games

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have been asked to consider naming two men’s doubles pairs, Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King and Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri, to represent the country at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

National men’s doubles ace Aaron Chia said the inclusion of Wan Arif-Roy King and Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal in the biennial games would align with BAM’s mission to field a strong line-up in Thailand.

“I think BAM should send elite back-up pairs like Wan Arif-Roy King and Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal. This is their chance (to bring home SEA Games medals),” he said when met recently.

Late last year, BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh had stated that the national badminton governing body was expected to send its best line-up to carry the nation’s challenge at this year’s SEA Games.

Malaysia last won a gold medal at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, while in the 2023 edition in Phnom Penh, the national contingent only managed to bring home two silvers and four bronzes.

Aaron, who pairs with Soh Wooi Yik, previously won the men’s doubles gold medal at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.

Last week, world No. 22 Wan Arif-Roy King clinched their maiden BWF World Tour title at the 2025 Macau Open, stunning top seeds from Indonesia, Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, 22-20, 21-18.

World No. 43 Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal, who have been plagued by injuries this season, have so far won three titles -- the 2023 Syed Modi International and Guwahati Masters in India, and the Orleans Masters in France last year.

The 2025 SEA Games are scheduled to take place in three provinces -- Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla -- from Dec 9 to 20.

-- BERNAMA