NATIONAL shuttler Lee Chong Wei’s appearance in Bentong, Pahang, yesterday with MCA president Liow Tiong Lai has raised questions about mixing sports with politics.

Many on social media were unhappy to see the former badminton world number one officiate the refurbished Bentong Youth Club badminton hall and play an exhibition doubles match with Liow, who is defending the Bentong parliamentary seat.

“So mind-boggling… why bring Lee Chong Wei? Is there a tournament there? Gosh! Running out of ideas to campaign and can only think of him to lure votes? What strategy? Weird,” Afiq bin Azlan said on Facebook.

Xavier Manickam said MCA needed Lee to appear at the event because nobody would turn up just to listen to MCA’s political speeches.

Some Facebook users felt Lee’s appearance at the event with the Barisan Nasional leader would be detrimental to Lee’s image.

“It will all be MCA’s fault if Lee loses support and people start to hate him. Liow, don’t mix sports with politics. This is why our national sports cannot grow to greater heights,” Nadzli Arief said.

Michael Lam wrote: “LCW (Lee) is like (the) godson of the PM’s wife. But LCW, many people will say you are slapping your own face.”

“This is why I never supported LCW in the first place. He is not a true sportsman,” wrote Adrian Loh.

Others defended Lee, saying that he had no choice but to be there.

“He was not in a BN shirt. He didn’t give a speech telling the people to support BN. He was just someone invited to an event to attract the people,” Mammut Conanx Gwyn Pie said.

Facebook user Chiew Hong said Lee had the right to choose a side.

Liow, the incumbent Bentong MP, will be up against DAP’s Wong Tack and PAS supporters club chairman N. Balasubramaniam in the polls on May 9.

He defended the seat in GE13, winning by 379 votes. – May 3, 2018.