THE Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has been urged to consider selecting two back-up men’s doubles pairs for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.
National doubles star Aaron Chia proposed Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King and Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri as potential candidates for the biennial event.
Chia believes their inclusion would support BAM’s goal of assembling a competitive squad for the regional tournament.
“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.
BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh previously stated the association planned to field its strongest team for the 2023 SEA Games.
Malaysia’s last gold medal in badminton at the SEA Games came in 2021 in Hanoi, with the 2023 edition yielding only two silvers and four bronzes.
Aaron, who won gold with Soh Wooi Yik in 2019, highlighted the recent success of Wan Arif-Roy King at the Macau Open.
The world No. 22 pair claimed their first BWF World Tour title last week by defeating Indonesia’s top seeds Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani.
Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal, ranked 43rd globally, have secured three titles despite injury setbacks this season.
The 2025 SEA Games will be held across Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla from December 9 to 20. – Bernama
