YOUTH and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has slammed former Malaysian badminton player Bong Guang Yik for making racist comments on one of his social media accounts.

In a statement today, Yeoh condemned Bong’s post where he accused the Malays of being lazy, before making further disparaging remarks about religion.

“I believe that religion has never disturbed the performance of athletes and sports. This has never been a problem in Malaysia,” Yeoh said.

“I repeat my position: sports must be free of racism and politics. All national athletes are a source of inspiration for the country and are advised to be careful with their social media content,” she said on her Facebook page.

Bong’s remarks came days after a national hockey player was suspended over similarly racially charged comments.

Hanis Nadiah Onn received an indefinite suspension from international competition after posting a comment on social media about the A.R. Rahman concert that creating a furious backlash.

Several days ago, Bong made the remarks on his Douyin account but uploaded another video admitting he had “gone overboard” and apologised.

According to Yeoh, Bong has not been on the Malaysian badminton team since 2014 and is currently residing abroad.

Bong is currently based in China as a coach. – February 13, 2023.