Khairy Jamaluddin has shared some tough love with Hannah Yeoh, urging her to step up her game as Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister.
Rather than passing the buck for the country’s performance at the Paris Olympics, Khairy emphasised that she needs to take charge and directly address the challenges within Malaysian sports associations.
Drawing from his own experience, Khairy pointed out that the world of Malaysian sports is rife with powerful figures, from former politicians to influential businesspeople, who are not easily swayed.
Giving these excuses won’t cut it because you are the minister
He highlighted that for Yeoh to succeed, she must be ready to confront these “taikos” and assert her authority.
“If you’re doing ‘taichi’—saying ‘not me, I didn’t appoint them, someone else chose them, (or) I can’t do anything’—that’s not going to cut it because you are the minister,” Khairy remarked during the Keluar Sekejap podcast.
He stressed that leadership in her position requires a proactive stance, not just deflecting responsibility.
This followed Yeoh’s apology for not winning gold at the Paris Olympics
The conversation comes in the wake of Yeoh’s public apology for Malaysia’s failure to secure a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
While she acknowledged the disappointment, Yeoh defended the multi-million ringgit Road To Gold (RTG) program, stressing that it’s a long-term investment aimed at both the 2024 Paris and 2028 Los Angeles Games.
However, Yeoh’s tenure hasn’t been without its share of controversy.
A recent post showing her with Thailand’s world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn drew backlash, with critics calling it “insensitive” and “unpatriotic,” as Kunlavut had just defeated Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the men’s singles semi-final at the Paris Olympics
Looking ahead, Yeoh plans to empower Malaysia’s sporting community by placing former athletes in key positions within the nation’s sports bodies before her term ends.
She also noted that she has no authority to remove individuals from sports associations who were elected democratically by their members.
