KUCHING: Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Vice-President, Azizul Annuar Adenan, has called on the Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) to refocus its priorities on athletes, not internal divisions, as it steps into a new era following the lifting of its registration suspension.
He said the past months had been a difficult yet necessary journey, with the Ministry of Youth and Sports formally reinstating SBA’s status through a letter dated June 30, 2025.
“Whenever there is division in an association, it’s the players who suffer most. We hope that this can be the past,” he said in his address at the SBA Hall today.
Azizul, who also serves as the Ad Hoc Committee Chairman, urged SBA’s new leadership to uphold unity, integrity and professionalism moving forward.
He praised the swift collaboration between SBA affiliates, the Sports Commissioner’s Office, and the Ministry, achieving what he called a “record turnaround” in just two months.
Azizul stressed that future disagreements must be handled internally and not spill into the public domain, as this only damages the credibility of the sport and affects young athletes’ development.
“We have talented players in Sarawak. Let’s focus on helping them reach the highest level, including representing Malaysia at the Olympics,” he said.
Azizul thanked all parties involved, especially the new SBA executive committee and the Ministry, for restoring SBA’s operational standing and enabling a fresh start for badminton in Sarawak.
