NATIONAL badminton legend Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei has called for patience as coach Kenneth Jonassen works to rebuild Malaysia’s struggling men’s singles squad.
Jonassen, who took over as national men’s singles coach and Director of Singles Coaching at the Badminton Association of Malaysia (ABM) six months ago, needs time to implement his plans effectively.
Lee stressed that expecting immediate results would be unrealistic. “I’ve met and spoken with him about how he can contribute to men’s singles in Malaysia.
He has great ideas, and I agree with his proposals and plans. We just can’t expect instant results because this isn’t a one-month or one-year process,“ he said.
The former world number one highlighted that at least one full four-year cycle is needed to assess Jonassen’s impact. “Give him room to adapt to the local culture and to rebuild the team. It’s like a newborn child – even learning to walk takes a year, let alone producing a world champion,“ Lee added.
His comments came after receiving the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN) award from Penang Governor Tun Ramli Ngah Talib.
Lee also addressed concerns raised by former national coach Wong Tat Meng, who warned of a potential singles crisis due to weak youth development.
Malaysia’s junior squad recently underperformed at the 2025 Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Solo, Indonesia.
Lee acknowledged the worrying state of men’s singles, with only Lee Zii Jia showing promise after recovering from injury, while Ng Tze Yong remains in treatment.
“We only have Lee Zii Jia, who’s just recovered from injury, and Ng Tze Yong, who is still undergoing treatment in Doha.
Their performances are still inconsistent, and the same goes for Leong Jun Hao, whose form has been up and down,“ he said. - Bernama
