PUTRAJAYA, Jan 14 — Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today visited the world’s top shuttler Kento Momota of Japan at the Putrajaya Hospital here and presented him with Malaysia’s madu kelulut (stingless bee honey) to help his recovery.

"I brought madu kelulut for him to get better,” said Dr Wan Azizah who is also the patron of Badminton Association of Malaysia when met by reporters at the hospital lobby.

The 25-year-old shuttler suffered multiple laceration wounds on the face and right maxillary sinus and nasal bone fracture in an incident involving him, his support staff and a Badminton World Federation Hawkeye assistant, yesterday.

A van ferrying them to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport crashed into a slow-moving lorry at KM13.7 of the Maju Expressway at about 4.40am. The van driver B. Nageswarau, 24, who was pinned to his seat, died at the scene.

Besides Momota, also injured are assistant coach Yu Hirayama, 35, (laceration wounds over the right shin); physiotherapist Morimoto Akifumi, 42, (cerebral concussion & closed fracture) and Hawkeye system operator William Thomas, 30, (laceration wounds over forehead & lower limbs).

Dr Wan Azizah said Momota had a displaced fracture of the nasal bone and time was needed for the swelling to heal.

During her 30-minute visit, Dr Wan Azizah said she was informed that Momota and the three sports officials were very well taken care of and receiving the best treatment and attention from the Putrajaya Hospital.

"All of them are in stable condition and recovering,” she said.

Putrajaya Hospital deputy director Dr Mohd Siv Azhar Merican Abdullah said the hospital had to monitor Momota for one more night.

Asked when will Momota be discharged, he said: "Definitely not today.”

"We want to closely monitor him. He is in good hand, don’t worry,” he added. — Bernama