IF losing Grab to our southern neighbour was an immense pride-swallowing experience, the emergence of Penang-born Loh Kean Yew stunning the badminton world by becoming the first Singaporean to win the World Championships is heart-wrenching to say the least.
Yesterday (Dec 19), the Singaporean world No 22 upset India’s world No 14 Srikanth Kidambi 21-15, 22-20 in the final in Huelva, Spain.
Nobody could blame Kean Yew for his newfound sense of patriotism – or how he felt that his own motherland has deserted him.
Fate would have it he left permanently for Singapore at the age of 13 – a year after his third brother Kean Hean came to Singapore – after he received a scholarship from the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) and was educated at the Singapore Sports School.
“It wasn’t easy making the decision (to become a Singaporean citizen) as I would be away from my parents, but for our education and career, coming to Singapore was necessary,” he was cited as saying by Channel News Asia.
“I have no regrets coming here, becoming a Singaporean and serving National Service. I have spent many years here and I feel like a Singaporean. And I’m proud to wear the Singapore flag on my chest.”
Credit must be given where credit is due. Kudos to Singapore for recognising Kean Yew’s talent and grooming him to be a world beater.
It must be put on record that Ken Yew has toppled national ace Lee Zii Jia en route winning the Hylo Open in Germany on Nov 7 when the latter – who is also Ken Yew’s childhood rival – limped out on the rubber set due to a back injury.
A former Penang state team player, Ken Yew – who is a year Zii Jia’s senior – had previously won the national level under 12 tournament prior to obtaining his scholarship. How the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) had allowed a pedigree player to slip by their sight is truly astonishing.
Outside the realm of sports, news of Southeast Asia’s first decacorn Grab Holdings Inc – formerly Malaysian start-up MyTeksi – debuted on the Nasdaq stock exchange via a backdoor listing recently was another “blow” which only reflects lack of confidence in the Malaysian domestic market/economy.
Grab’s listing was finalised following a record US$40 bil (RM169 bil) merger deal with US-based company Altimeter Capital Management’s special purpose acquisition company, Altimeter Growth Corp.
As part of the deal, Grab will raise about US$4.5 bil (RM18.99 bil), including US$4 bil (RM16.88 bil) in private investment managed by BlackRock, Temasek Holdings, Morgan Stanley, Fidelity International, Altimeter and T Rowe Price. – Dec 20, 2021
