KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan and M Thinaah, have yet to sign a new contract with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), fuelling speculation that they may be considering a move away from the national setup.
New contracts are typically signed at the end or beginning of the year, aligning with the start of a new Olympic cycle.
On Tuesday, Scoop reported that Pearly and Thinaah were rumoured to be in discussions with sponsors outside BAM, although it remains unclear whether they will eventually leave the association.
When contacted, BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh said: “Honestly, I haven’t heard anything yet, so I assume they are staying with BAM.”
However, when asked whether the pair had already signed a contract, he responded briefly: “Discussions are ongoing.”
For comparison, world number six men’s doubles and two-time Olympic bronze medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik signed a contract last year that will keep them at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) for another four years.
Should Pearly and Thinaah decide to leave, they would not be the first top pair to part ways with BAM.
Last year, men’s doubles duo Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani left the national setup to turn professional, later reaching a career-high world ranking of number two.
Currently ranked fifth in the world, Pearly and Thinaah were first paired in 2019 and have since won three World Tour titles.
They also made history at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to reach the semi-finals. – April 2, 2025