KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 ― Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) treasurer Datuk V. Subramaniam denied the allegations made in the News Straits Times today by Malaysian professional shuttlers that BAM was withholding their prize money.
“We deny the allegations made by these players,” said Subramaniam.
“My department can’t give out the payment because we do not have the breakdown of the prize money. We need to know how much each person gets and this process takes time.
“Once we get the list we have to identify who gets what then we send the checks out. All these while, we’ve been paying them. We’ve already paid all their money for 2017 and in May we paid around RM800,000 to clear 2017’s accounts.”
The daily reported that shuttlers are struggling to pay for their trips abroad, as they rely on their prize money for travel.
“If there are outstanding payments and they’re having a really hard time then why not come and see us?” Subramaniam asked when contacted.
“They can always come to the BAM office, talk to the general manager or the finance department and tell them their grievances.
“At the end of the day, they are our national players and we appreciate them for their sacrifices for the country.
“For now we’re waiting for the details of the breakdown. Please note that our jobs are not to oversee the competitions. We only pay as per instructions once we got the money and we’re not just handling the seniors. We’re handling all the prize money from the under-15s and onwards.
“It’s a huge task and must be done properly. Only with the official list can I prepare the checks for the players. Mind you, it is not an easy task and we must get it right. We can’t make mistakes as it involves money and people’s livelihood.”
