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Malaysian badminton clubs yearn for revival of Malaysia Purple League Junior | Scoop
Rawang Badminton Club manager Jeyaseelan Anthony says that the cancellation of the Malaysia Purple League Junior tournament has been a significant setback for grassroots badminton development in Malaysia. – Rawang BC Facebook pic, September 13, 2023
Sports

Malaysian badminton clubs yearn for revival of Malaysia Purple League Junior

The tournament had a successful run from 2015 until earlier this year, when it was cancelled abruptly

Main Author Image
Sandru Narayanan
Updated
8:00 AM MYT

 

KUALA LUMPUR – Badminton clubs across Malaysia want the Malaysia Purple League Junior (MPLJ) tournament to be revived for the sake of grassroots development.

MPLJ, which was once a thriving platform for young talents to showcase their skills and gain valuable experience, has been absent from the badminton scene for the past year.

The tournament started in 2015 and had a successful run until its sudden cancellation this year. It featured 20 grassroots clubs over those seven years.

Speaking to Scoop, the manager of Rawang Badminton Club, Jeyaseelan Anthony, said that the cancellation of the tournament has been a significant setback for grassroots badminton development in Malaysia.

Bagan Badminton Club, coached by Alif Razlan, and other badminton clubs throughout the country want the tournament to return to help the sport’s grassroots development. – Protech Sports Facebook pic, September 13, 2023

“We have been actively training our junior badminton players for the past 13 years, and the sudden halt of the MPLJ tournament has led us to release many of our top young players to their respective state badminton associations for them to participate in competitive tournaments.

“It’s saddening to witness the transition that we have to go through as we are known as one of the top grassroots badminton clubs in Malaysia for producing some of the finest junior players who are currently representing Malaysia in junior and senior tournaments, such as Letshanaa Karupathevan, Brian Yap Tai Kuan, Lim Hick Kong, Kasturi Radhakrishnan, and Venosha Radhakrishnan,” said Jeyaseelan.

He added that the importance of the tournament was in nurturing young talents for the betterment of the sport in the country.

“Malaysia has a rich tradition in badminton, but without a competitive platform like the MPLJ, we risk losing our edge.

“Young talents need more than just training; they need real competition.

“I personally believe that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) is not doing enough to groom grassroots players. They tend to rely entirely on state badminton associations to recruit players.

“The progress of the players remains stagnant once they reach 16 years old, and when MPLJ initiates providing these players a platform to compete, BAM is not doing enough to support and promote the league,” added Jeyaseelan. 

“I hope for the tournament to be revived soon.”

Jeyaseelan thinks the MPLJ can play a vital role in the development of the next generation of badminton players. – Rawang BC Facebook pic

At the same time, Bagan Badminton Club head coach, Alif Razlan, echoed a similar sentiment, saying that the revival of the tournament will help young badminton players gain invaluable experience.

“MPLJ used to be the breeding ground for budding badminton talents. It provided a competitive platform for our young players to test their skills against some of the best in the country.

“The absence of the MPLJ has left a void. Bringing it back will not only motivate our youngsters but also help them gain invaluable experience,” said Razlan.

Kajang United BC and Perling BC were crowned champions in their respective categories at the last MPLJ tournament, which was held at the House of Champions in Cyberjaya last year.

Kajang won the Under-18 category, securing the most points (176-122) in the grand final.

Meanwhile, Perling clinched the Under-15 title by beating Butterworth BC 10-7. – September 13, 2023

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