WHAT an extraordinarily sad few days for Malaysian sports.
It started with the budget cuts in sports, followed by Harimau Malaya's AFF Cup debacle and Singapore's outstanding achievement at the World Championships through Penang-born shuttler Loh Kean Yew.
While failures in football are nothing new for the FA of Malaysia (FAM), the BA of Malaysia (BAM), though producing many top shuttlers, should take Singapore's victory as a challenge to turn some of their shuttlers into world and Olympic champions.
Singaporeans are, probably, laughing at us, but it is a reality that we have to accept.
BAM shuttlers must, from now on, strive to do better in world badminton.
The only sparkle during these sporting tragedies was achieved in squash when Ng Eain Yow won the men's crown at the Asian Individual Championships in Islamabad.
Budget cuts are something the government cannot avoid, given the devastating impact Covid-19 has brought to the nation. However, these funding cuts will definitely impact Malaysian sports, as a whole, negatively.
Only the best athletes go under full-time programmes while the rest must show their ability to get recognition.
It is now a tough world for athletes, but this move will see only the worthy getting assistance to excel.
But it will indirectly impact development. It is going to be tough for up-and-coming athletes to make inroads as without sports science, specialised training and quality international competitions, they will find it tough to earn a break.
It is hoped, however, that only the best, not passengers, are retained for the full-time programmes next year..
We can already see something fishy in the waters of the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil.
Former world champion Cheong Jun Hoong, despite being one of the Tokyo Olympic qualifiers, has been dropped from next year's programme.
While it is true that Jun Hoong's standard has dropped, her results were still better than the men's diving team who failed to qualify for the Olympics.
If you go on merit, the National Sports Council (NSC) should also clear the deadwood in the men's team.
It is always heartbreaking to watch Malaysian football. The AFF Cup in Singapore will go down as a catastrophic failure solely brought on by FAM's poor planning.
Accountability is a sensitive word in sports, and sadly the blame will go to coach Tan Cheng Hoe and his naturalised players.
Of course, nobody will talk about the restrictions Cheng Hoe had to face leading up to the tournament, but we all know what is happening.
Club football is bigger in Europe, but in this part of the world, the national team is a priority.
The Malaysia Cup should have been shortened while the 'pointless' friendly matches in the Middle East in October should not have happened.
The team selection was also puzzling.
While some big names were left out, several others, who did not deserve to be in the team, were called up, and a few who shone in the M-League were not even considered.
The AFF Cup disappointment proves Malaysia are not good enough to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup, even with their best players in the squad.
Sad to say, Malaysia are not even good enough to be top four in Asean football.
It is not the end of Malaysian football, though. Malaysia have quality footballers, but if outside forces continue interfering with the team selection and other aspects, then we will not progress.
Singapore's Kean Yew is now a world champion in badminton.
How bad is that for Malaysia, who have produced many top shuttlers but have yet to win a world or an Olympic title?
Forget about Kean Yew being Penang-born. He is now a Singaporean, and their people are proud of his achievement.
He may have picked up the racquet in Penang, but it is Singapore who groomed him into a world-beater.
If only our talent scouts had done their job then, he would have been Malaysia's first badminton world champion today.
Singapore now join the ranks of smaller badminton nations like Spain and the United States with world titles, and it is quite an embarrassment for Malaysia.
No doubt, Lee Zii Jia had a chance in Huelva to end Malaysia's wait, but sadly, a blister got in his way.
Sad days for Malaysian sports, indeed.
Ajitpal Singh is the Sports Editor of NST and a Manchester United fan