BANGI, March 10 — The Prime Minister’s wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, today expressed her wish to see Malaysia take home the All England title through national men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Woo Yik at the final match at midnight (Malaysia time) tonight.
Telling the pair to give their best, Dr Siti Hasmah, who is a badminton fan, called on Malaysians to pray for their success.
“It has been some time since Malaysian won the All England title. Before, we have Datuk Lee Chong Wei, and now without Lee, don’t tell me we cannot win,” he told reporters after presenting the challenge trophy for the Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Ali Badminton championship (Hascup) at Kolej Keris Mas, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) here today.
Ranked world’s no. 18, Aaron-Wooi Yik advanced to the final after upstaging Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto 12-21, 22-20, 21-19 in the semi-finals at Birmingham Arena yesterday.
The national pair will meet another Indonesian pair Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan in the final.
The last time Malaysian won the All England title for the category was in 2017 through the pair, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.
On the Hascup championship, Dr Siti Hasmah said she had always been supportive of the championship that was started at Kolej Keris Mas, UKM, in 2012.
“I come whenever I am invited because I am a badminton fan, perhaps, the oldest,” she said.
At today’s match, doubles pair Muhammad Irwan Zekry Wahyudi and Cheong Cheng Foong won the championship.
In another development, Dr Siti Hasmah said women in Malaysia played an important role as a wife, mother and member of the society.
Hence, the need for them to take care of themselves, especially their health, she added.
On her message for women in conjunction with World Women’s Day, she said, they should be active, think rationally, be healthy and knowledgeable. — Bernama
