A NEW badminton academy will be established at Karpal Singh Drive in Penang by 2029 with the aim of producing world-class badminton players such as Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who announced the initiative, emphasised the state government’s commitment to providing more recreational areas for sports activities.
“We are committed to realising this academy, which will be constructed by the first quarter of 2024.
“This academy will be built on land belonging to the Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI). The works will be undertaken by PGBC Sdn Bhd.
“We hope this academy will help to retain the talents in the state,” he said at a press conference in Komtar today.
Chow expressed his hopes that more badminton shuttlers could be produced in the future.
“In Penang, we have Chan Peng Soon, Lim Khim Wah, and Ong Ewe Hock who have made Penang proud with their remarkable achievements,” he said.
Ong, who is the PGBC Sdn Bhd founder and chairman, revealed plans to rent out the badminton courts.
“We hope to continue Penang’s dominance in badminton by producing more shuttlers through this academy,” he said.
Among those present were state Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim and CMI deputy general manager Datin S. Bharathi.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Alissala Thian
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi