KUALA LUMPUR: Former world and Olympic badminton champion Taufik Hidayat has been appointed as Indonesia's Deputy Youth and Sports Minister under President Prabowo Subianto's administration.
Taufik will serve in the ministry alongside full minister Dito Ariotedjo.
"Taufik Hidayat will be the deputy minister of Youth and Sports," Prabowo told Kompas.com.
In 1999, Taufik claimed his first of six Indonesia Open titles, and in the same year, he reached the finals of both the All England and Singapore Open, but lost to Denmark's Peter Gade and compatriot Hariyanto Arbi, respectively.
Throughout his career, Taufik achieved remarkable success as a top badminton player, leading Indonesia to two Thomas Cup crowns and winning the Asian Games gold medal three times.
The 43-year-old became an Olympic champion at the Athens Games in 2004, and a year later, won the world title in the United States.
The former world No. 1 retired in 2013.