THE country's number one mixed doubles player, Toh Ee Wei, has appealed to Malaysians to unite in supporting the struggles of the national badminton players in every tournament they participate in.
Ee Wei said they are indeed prepared to face criticism if they perform poorly, but not insults from the public, especially on social media.
"As Malaysians, we need to unite. We have worked hard and are very proud to play for the country. Winning and losing are normal, but what is important is the attitude and what we have to fight for in every match.
"Of course, I am sad, but as an athlete, I need to be strong to face all these problems. Criticism is normal; if there is no criticism, you cannot improve your performance, but don't go to the level of insulting people, that's what scares me," she said as reported by Bernama.
Previously, the 25-year-old revealed that her parents also received unpleasant remarks due to her unsatisfactory performance in previous tournaments with her partner Chen Tang Jie.
However, the 2025 world mixed doubles champion managed to silence critics after winning the 2026 Indonesia Masters in Jakarta last month by defeating Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje of Denmark, 15-21, 21-17, 21-11.
Despite the criticism, Ee Wei was still moved when she received strong support from her fans, inspiring her to continue fighting for the country. – February 6, 2026
