NEWS : Soon Kit: Indon fans not that fanatic anymore

The Star Online > Sports

Saturday May 8, 2004​

[size=+2]Soon Kit: Indon fans not that fanatic anymore[/size]



THOMAS-UBER CUP FINALS: JAKARTA, INDONESIA

THE Malaysia-Indonesia rivalry in badminton is still as keen as ever – but not for the fans.

Former top doubles specialist Cheah Soon Kit, who is now the Malaysian women’s coach, feels that while the interest in badminton is there, the fans are not as fanatic as before.

“Compared to my time, things are a lot tamer this time. In the past, we could not even walk outside the hotel. We had to eat together and even travelled everywhere with army commandoes specially brought in from Malaysia protecting us,” he said.

The current crop of players can certainly breathe easy. They arrived in Jakarta three days ago but there was no hostile reception facing them at the airport.

“When we came here for the 1994 Thomas Cup Finals, a big Indonesian crowd was already waiting for us. They were calling us names, some of them too ugly to be mentioned. It was certainly not an easy experience to go through at that time, when you came here to play for the country.”

Malaysia were then the Thomas Cup holders and managed to reach the final in Jakarta. In the final, Malaysia had to abandon the tie when the crowd threatened to get out of control. However, Indonesia had already taken an unassailable 3-0 lead by then.

What stoked the bitter rivalry was the fact that Indonesian badminton was then in its heyday.

Indonesian shuttlers Allan Budi Kusuma and Susi Susanti delivered Indonesia’s first gold medals in the Olympics when badminton made its debut in Barcelona two years later.

“Their men’s and women’s teams were very strong at that time. Their women’s team were able to match the China.

“They had top singles and doubles players but they lost to us in team competitions in SEA Games and Asian Games,” recalled Soon Kit.

However, it remains to be seen if the current crop of Indonesian players are able to bring about another outpouring of national pride.

Former Malaysian singles coach Indra Gunawan, now a commentator for an Indonesian private television, said it may still be early days yet. “This is just the first day and not many people may be keenly following the competition. But if Malaysia were to meet Indonesia, I am sure the crowd will come.”