KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has urged unity as Malaysia's athletes compete for glory at the Paris Olympics, starting on July 26.
Her call follows criticism of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) over the national contingent's official outfit, unveiled on Sunday and labelled "ugly" by critics.
Yeoh hopes the 25-member Malaysian team will ignore the negative publicity and focus on their Olympic mission.
"The attire will not be worn during the opening ceremony. We have another outfit prepared for our athletes. OCM is responsible for the design of these jerseys.
"We must respect OCM's sponsorship agreement with Yonex. I am confident that OCM president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria will address the issue," said Yeoh.
Speaking at the launch of the National Women's League in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, Yeoh emphasised the importance of team spirit.
"There should be no division between OCM, the Sports Ministry, or any other stakeholders. We are all working together to uphold Malaysia's reputation. I hope this positive collaboration will continue," she added.
Among Malaysia's medal prospects in Paris are Lee Zii Jia, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, and Azizulhasni Awang.