Kuala Lumpur: Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has officially been elected as the new president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Tengku Zafrul was unanimously elected unopposed during the 80th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the national badminton governing body.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tengku Zafrul expressed his gratitude for the trust and mandate given by BAM council members. He stated his commitment to empowering the association to become a respected entity both locally and internationally. He plans to leverage his experience from the private sector and government to strengthen BAM's management and enhance its global stature.

Tengku Zafrul has requested a 100-day period to gather insights from stakeholders, players, coaching staff, and sponsors before developing a strategic plan for the national badminton sport. He emphasized the importance of understanding existing proposals and issues to create a comprehensive and realistic plan. He aims to present his strategic vision and action plan at the end of this period.

Despite acknowledging the high expectations of Malaysian sports fans, Tengku Zafrul is prepared to tackle the challenge, including striving for Malaysia's first Olympic gold medal in badminton. He expressed confidence that with proper planning and execution, this goal is achievable.

Tengku Zafrul, the 13th president of BAM, also announced the reappointment of former acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam as deputy president 1 and the retention of Datuk Seri Dr Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos as deputy president 2. He appreciated the contributions of former president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria and urged for strong support from all stakeholders, including sports fans, to achieve greater success.

In March, Subramaniam revealed the consensus among BAM council members to nominate Tengku Zafrul as president. Previously, Tengku Zafrul was considered for the presidency early last year, but Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh requested Mohamad Norza to remain in the position until the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. After the games, Subramaniam took over as acting president until this AGM.