KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will hold a press conference Friday to explain the resignation of national singles coach Rashid Sidek after none of the top office bearers were ready to give any statements.
On Thursday, BAM’s Talent Management Group (TMG) director Tan Aik Mong confirmed Rashid’s resignation but did not want to give any comments. He asked the media to contact BAM’s Support Service Group (SSG) general manager Kenny Goh.
Kenny referred the media to the BAM’s president Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff. Tengku Mahaleel however, said that it was only right that Aik Mong address the issue as he was the man who was responsible for all the changes.
And when contacted again, the 63-year-old Aik Mong said that he would hold a press conference on Friday to look into Rashid’s decision to sever ties with the BAM due to unhappiness over some of the changes in the national set-up.
“For now, I have nothing to comment. There will be a press conference tomorrow at 11am and I will give my statement then,” said the 63-year-old Aik Mong.
Aik Mong, who was given the authority to hire and fire by Tengku Mahaleel, has made some drastic changes in the coaching and training structure.
Some of the plans were good but the manner in which they were executed did not go down too well with some of the coaches as they felt that their credibility and qualifications were undermined.
Meanwhile, National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong did not overreact on finding out Rashid’s decision.
“It is unfortunate that he (Rashid) has tendered his resignation. It is too early for me to comment on it,” said Zolkples.
“Since taking over BAM, Tengku Mahaleel has introduced a new programme to take badminton to the next stage and my hope is that regardless of what has happened, they (BAM) will keep with the programme and see it through,” he said.