PUTRAJAYA, July 30 — Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman urged Malaysians, especially badminton and media enthusiasts, to give space to national champion Datuk Lee Chong Wei to undergo a peaceful recovery process.

He said that as an athlete who had served the nation well, Chong Wei deserved a personal space, especially during the treatment and rehabilitation process of his current health problems.

"Last week, I had the opportunity to go to his home where he had expressed his compulsion to withdraw from the Asian Games and World Championships due to respiratory problems.

"I hope that sports lovers and the media can give him space to fully recover. He is our hero, he is our athlete and we need to help as best as we can, "he told reporters at his office today.

Syed Saddiq once again pointed out that rumours linking the nation main singles player to the 1MDB’s fund was the cause of Chong Wei’s withdrawal from the Asian Games in Jakarta and the World Championship in Nanjing, China were slanderous and untrue.

"It’s defamation and fraud. And that insults our national hero. Political differences are common but we cannot forget his deeds which have enhanced the name of our country, "he said.

In an interview with NSTP yesterday, the Muar MP dismissed that the accounts of the badminton champion were frozen after being linked with the 1MDB fund causing him to withdraw from the two major tournaments.

Chong Wei confirmed that he would not be playing in the World Championships and Asian Games after suffering from breathing problems that required him to rest for a month.

It is understood that the national champion was currently undergoing further treatment in Taiwan. — Bernama