KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has told Malaysian athletes not to get involved in illegal activities such as betting or match-fixing.
She said this after being asked by the media to comment on the bans handed out to two Malaysians by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for betting-related offences.
Yeoh said that she wants all parties involved in Malaysian sports to have integrity and practise the Safe Sports Code.
"I hope after this (the bans) nothing like it will happen again, and other athletes take it as a lesson.
"From the ministry's side, we have discussed with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission how to ensure that sports in the country are free from corruption and match-fixing. If we win, we want to win with integrity.
"I ask that our athletes not be influenced into getting involved in illegal activities like this. Don't take shortcuts to get rich quick," Yeoh said after attending the National Women's Football League final last night.
On Friday, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) banned former national player Liew Daren and National Sports Institute analyst Jerry Gan for 12 months and three months from badminton activities respectively for involvement in betting-related activities from 2018 to 2021.
"I know one of them is an NSI staff member (Jerry), so they will also see what actions can be taken on him," Yeoh added.
Yesterday, BA of Malaysia (BAM) acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam told Timesport that he was shocked to hear the news of the suspensions, especially about Daren, who has served the nation as a badminton player for years.
Former BAM high-performance director Datuk James Selvaraj said that the actions of both individuals have tarnished the nation's image in the badminton world.
A similar scandal rocked the country's badminton scene in 2018 when former players Zulfadli Zulkiffli and Tan Chun Seang were banned by BWF for 20 and 15 years respectively for match-fixing.