PUTRAJAYA – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh hopes that the high fighting spirit that characterised the 1992 Thomas Cup squad will resonate with the current team as they gear up for action in Chengdu, China on Saturday.
The 32-year period since Malaysia last clinched the prestigious trophy has been an extended wait, making the upcoming tournament crucial for the nation.
Therefore, Hannah hopes the wait can come to an end, considering the Thomas and Uber Cup is among the most important badminton championships for Malaysia.
“I hope both the men’s and women’s teams will fulfil their roles with utmost importance on teamwork and a true sense of patriotism because these tournaments hold immense significance for badminton enthusiasts in Malaysia.
“They need to give their best, whether they get the opportunity to play or not. I hope every player can contribute their part to the team. That’s the spirit we saw in the 1992 squad that lifted the Thomas Cup.
“Each player was like a jigsaw puzzle piece complementing the others,” said Hannah after the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding for the Strategic TVET and Gig Economy Cooperation Programme at the Youth and Sports Ministry, here today.
The 1992 Thomas Cup squad, featuring Datuk Razif Sidek, Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek, Datuk Rashid Sidek, Datuk Foo Kok Keong, Datuk Cheah Soon Kit, Soo Beng Kiang, Kwan Yoke Meng, Rahman Sidek, and Wong Ewee Mun, defied expectations to clinch victory against Indonesia in the final, held at Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur.
At that time, they were not given much hope, but due to the exceptionally high spirit of cooperation among the players, Malaysia managed to advance to the final and defeat their main rival, Indonesia, with a score of 3-2.
For this year’s edition, the national men’s squad, led by Soh Wooi Yik, will compete in Group D alongside Denmark, Hong Kong, and Algeria.
Meanwhile, the women’s squad, led by Teoh Mei Xing, will compete in the Uber Cup against Thailand, Chinese Taipei, and Australia in Group B. – April 23, 2024