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DREAMS CRUSHED, HOPES DASHED FOR SOME IN SABAH FC

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Benedict (third from left)
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 – Sabah football has got off to a messy start to the new season for now – following the change of leadership in the FA with political links and with that came changes in the management – at all levels.
Those who had accepted jobs and had already signed appointment letters deemed as a legal document are now left in a lurch after being told that the letter is not valid. Expect a legal battle to start between the two parties.
Sabah deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (who is also the UMNO chief) is the present acting president of the Sabah FA – taking over the post from Datuk Abdul Rahman Zakaria.
The new leadership revamped the entire structure of Sabah FC which had Datuk Verdon Bahanda as its chief executive officer.
Verdon subsequently resigned from his post when Bung Moktar came into power.
During Verdon’s short lived tenure as the CEO of Sabah FC, a new head coach was appointed and he was Lucas Kalang Laeng who holds a Pro A license.
The Sarawakian had already signed a one year contract that runs through from Dec 1, 2020 to Nov 30, 2021.
Our reports on Dec 1 2020.

However the turn of events in Sabah has left everything topsy-turvy and former Indonesian international Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, who was the head coach last season, was reappointed to the post in place of Lucas while former Malaysia Cupper, Burhan Ajui is his assistant.

Sabah FC’s new CEO is businessman Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan who is also the state Bersatu Information Chief.
There is also no place Jelius Ating, who was assistant coach last season, as the new team manager this year. The new manager is Ahmad Marzuki Nasir.
Sabah FA/FC’s new secretary-general Benedict Asmat confirmed in a telephone interview from Kota Kinabalu of the changes in the set-up.
”Kurniawan is already in town. He is expected to name the new team in the next couple of days. Apart from the foreign quota the rest of the squad will come from local players. There is plenty of football talent in Sabah and we want to expose them,” said Benedict.
”We cannot afford to hire players from the peninsula  as they are too costly for us.”
For the record Sabah finished 10th in the Super League last season and narrowly missed relegation.
What happens next is left to be seen. For now it is dreams crushed and hopes dashed for names like Lucas, Jelius and Verdon.

BIG NAMES DON’T SCARE UiTM FC

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 – After a memorable debut in the elite Super League last season with a sixth-place finish UiTM FC has fired an early salvo that the rookie team is ready to make its presence felt in the new M-League season.
Nicknamed “The Lion Troops”, the Shah Alam based outfit scored stunning wins over some of the big names in Malaysian football including Pahang (1-0), Terengganu (2-1) and drew 1-1 against Kedah and 3-3 against Selangor.
In the Malaysia Cup competition, they beat Kelantan 3-2 in the first round to earn a quarter-final tie against Premier League champions Penang before it was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
UiTM FC’s Prof Dr. Azizan Abdullah while praising the team for the “encouraging results” last season warned rivals that there is more to come from the Lion Troops this year where a lofty target has been set.
”We are looking at a top-three finish this season and also set eyes on winning one of the Cups (Malaysia Cup and the FA Cup) although there has been a movement of players,” he said.
”We had a good season last year and gave a good account of ourselves. The big names in the M-League do not fear us and we are ready to face them again without fear. I have faith and confidence in the team that we can do better this year.”
UiTM FC’s German coach Frank Bernhardt will have four new faces in the foreign quota with only influential skipper Victor Nirennold available this season.
The French defender canceled his earlier plans to move to another team when Bernardt voiced his intentions to accept a new offer from elsewhere.
The Lion Troops have signed up Croatian goalkeeper Dominic Picak, strikers Abou Bakr Al-Mel (Lebanon) and Nana Poku (Ghana), and playmaker Adam Michel (Philippines). Abou Bakr played for Kelantan and Adam for Pahang last season.
However, Bernhardt is staying put with the university team and so is Nirennold who was eyed by several teams in the M-League.
”I am once again counting on total commitment and self-discipline from my players for the new season. We will go about our preparations knowing that we will have to up the ante for a tougher season,” said Bernhardt.

NATIONAL BOWLING QUEEN SHALIN ZULKIFLI QUITS

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 – Malaysia’s bowling, queen Shalin Zulkifli has quit the sport she loves most at the age of 42, after an astonishing 28-year career in the bowling alleys that kept the Malaysian flag flying.
Without a doubt, her retirement closes a chapter in the history of bowling. She also leaves a vacuum in the Malaysian bowling team that will be hard to fill.
Her retirement caught many by surprise but Shalin had given broad hints of her impending retirement.
The five-time Malaysian Sportswoman of the Year -1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, and 2002 – also won the three World Championships and this was in Malaysia (2003), Mexico (2007) and again after a ten-year lapse in Las Vegas, United States in 2017.
The mother of one who is married to former national bowler, Azidi Ameran had a glorious bowling career to keep Malaysia’s flag flying. There were ups and downs but Shalin stood strong to make her blood, sweat, and tears count when it mattered most.
She stood with pride on the rostrum – let it be at World FIQ, Asian FIQ, Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Championships, Asian Games, SEA Games, World Rankings, World Tenpin Masters, World Cup, World Team Cup, World Bowling Tour.
Shalin will remain etched in the minds of all those who knew what she could deliver when called upon to rally for Malaysia. This she did countless times in her illustrious runs at the bowling alleys. She was always there as “Mama” as her teammates remember her for her motivation.
Always a “darling” to all who came to know Shalin she was also an inspiration when it mattered most and when the chips were down.
Shalin will be missed and one who will be hard to replace.

MOMOTA TESTED POSITIVE COVID-19, JAPAN WITHDRAWS ENTIRE TEAM FROM ‘ASIAN-LEG BUBBLE’

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 – World No.1, Kento Momota was tested positive at the Narita Airport which led  Japan to withdrawing its entire team from the Thailand Open Badminton Championship later this month.
The 26-year-old won the All-Japan title last week and the Yonex Thailand Open from Jan 12-17 was to have been his first international tournament after winning the Malaysian Masters in January last year.
It is a tournament Momota will not forget for the rest of his life as hours later the van taking him to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) crashed.
The van driver was killed while Momota was severely injured when his eye socket was fractured and needed surgery.
Momota is Japan’s hope for the men’s singles gold medal in this year’s Tokyo Olympics rescheduled to August this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Japanse ace was also a medal prospect at the 2016 Rio Olympics but he never got to step into Brazil when the All-Nippon Badminton Association slapped an indefinite ban on the player for gross indiscipline when he was found guilty of gambling at an illegal casino in Japan.
As a precaution against the deadly virus, the Nippon Badminton Association decided to withdraw the other 22 players from the tournaments in Thailand. The other tournament in the ‘Asian Leg Bubble’ is the Toyota Thailand Open from Jan 19-24.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian team to the two tournaments in Thailand will leave for Bangkok on Monday without the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) coaching director, Wong Choong Hann.
Choong Hann was tested positive for the virus and will be staying back in quarantine while the rest of the 39-strong squad will proceed after testing negative for the mandatory pre-tournament swab test.
“Disappointed yes. However, I believe the team is in good hands and well prepared for the Thailand tournaments. We have done the best in our preparations for the tournaments,” said Choong Hann when contacted.

TOP GLOVE PURPLE LEAGUE: JOO VEN STAMP HIS MARK TO TAKE HOME THE MEN’S SINGLES CROWN

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PUTRAJAYA, Jan 3 – Professional singles player, Soong Joo Ven took the men’s singles crown of the Top Glove Purple League Pro Am 2020 Badminton Championship after beating Iskandar Zulkarnain in the final today.

In the series of final matches that were played at the Precinct 11 Neighbourhood Complex in Putrajaya, the day started with the men’s singles which saw top seed, Joo Ven taking on second seed Iskandar.

It was an intense final with Joo Ven winning the first set as Iskandar then staged a fightback to dominate the next two sets.

But after battling for over an hour, Joo Ven was crowned the men’s singles champion after winning the final 3-2 (11-10, 10-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-10) to take home the RM10,000 cash prize.

While Joo Ven fulfilled his top billing as the top seed, there were surprises in the mixed doubles and the men’s doubles as the seeded players took a beating.

The mixed doubles saw unseeded pair of Boon Xin Yuan-Teoh Lexuan getting the better of 3/4 seed, Tan Kok Xian-Wong Kha Yan.

Xin Yuan-Lexuan had to endure some anxious moments when their loss of focus resulted in them losing the first two sets.

However, Xin Yuan-Lexuan regained their momentum to shut down their opponents to win the next three sets over Kok Xian-Kha Yan 3-2 (9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6).

“We lost early in the game because we failed to read the way our opponents played. But everything changed in the third. We changed the pattern of the game and that allowed us to win the match,” said Xin Yuan.

For Lexuan, the victory was a good start for him as he had just been paired with Xin Yuan after turning professional.

“After this success, it is possible that we will be retained as a pair but everything depends on the planning of the club,” said Lexuan.

Completing the fixtures was the men’s doubles match between the 3/4 seed Iskandar Zulkarnain-Nur Muhd Azriyn Ayup against the tournament’s second seed Shia Chun Kang-Wong Tien Ci.

After losing the men’s singles final earlier, Iskandar was clearly motivated and driven as his partnership with Azriyn surprised Chun Kang-Tien Ci 3-1 (10-11, 11-8, 11-10, 11-4).

The winner of the doubles event took home a cash prize of RM15,000.

Iskandar became the highest-earning player at the tournament this year when he took home a total of RM12,500 in cash.

Purple League Chief Operating Officer, Ho Khek Mong thanked the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), Putrajaya Badminton Association (PBA) and tournament’s main sponsor Top Glove.

The objective of organizing the tournament has been achieved and he hoped the players will continue to strive to achieve further success.

“The tournament which lasted for six days is a complete success. Honestly, I am excited by the intense competition and the enthusiasm that were shown by the players.

“There were talents for sure that we were waiting just to show their abilities. I hope this tournament will be a platform for players to further improve the quality of their game and strive for greater glory,” added Khek Mong.

He added that in spite of the current uncertain situation with COVID-19, Purple League will continue to strive to organize other tournaments, especially the Sengheng RedONE Purple League.

RESULTS

MEN’S SINGLES

Soong Joo Ven [1] – Iskandar Zulkarnain [2] (11-10, 10-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-10)

MIXED DOUBLES

Boon Xin Yuan – Teoh Lexuan vs – Tan Kok Xian – Wong Kha Yan [3/4] (9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6)

MEN’S DOUBLES

Iskandar Zulkarnain – Nur Muhd Azriyn Ayup [3/4] vs Shia Chun Kang – Wong Tien Ci [2] (10-11, 11-8, 11-10, 11-4)

CASH PRIZE BREAKDOWN

Men’s Doubles & Mixed Doubles

Champion- RM15,000

Runner-up – RM8,000

3rd place – RM4,000

4th place – RM2,000

Places 5 – 8 – RM1,000

Places 9 – 16 – RM500

Men’s Singles:

Winner – RM10,000

Runner-up – RM5,000

3rd place – RM2,500

4th place – RM1,500

Places 5 – 8 – RM1,000

Places 9 – 16 – RM500

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SHAKIR JOINS PERAK FOR THE NEW SEASON

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 – After a miserable season last year, Perak known as Bos Gaurus was delivered a further blow for the new season when top hitman Shahrel Fikri moved to the Klang Valley to join rivals Selangor.
Shahrel, a national asset, has undoubtedly left a vacuum upfront but Perak is moving to build a strong side for the 2021 season.
The Bos Gaurus is looking at a South Korean or a striker from an Arab nation as a replacement.
Perak FA president, Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, however, refused to reveal more details on the player targeted by the team.
Ahmad Faizal, who remains as the FA president until the congress meets later this month to pick his successor, is also the former Menteri Besar of Perak. The FA president’s post is usually held by the Menteri Besar.
Meanwhile, Perak had good news for their supporters when Singapore international, Shakir Hamzah joined the team for the news season.
It is described as a ”breakthrough” deal with the Singaporean who played for Kedah last season and played a pivotal role in the team’s second-place finish in the Super League behind champions, Johor Darul Takzim.
Another Kedahan who has moved south to join Perak is goalkeeper Azri Ghani – hailed as a goalkeeper to watch.
Another catch for Perak is defender Danish Haziq Saipul Hisham who also played a pivotal role for UiTM FC in its Super League debut last season and finished sixth.
Perak has also retained Brazilian attacking midfielders Careca (Raiandersen da Costa Morais, Leandro dos Santos and newly naturalized Guilherme de Paula.
Long-serving Australian coach, Mehmet Durakovic remains at the helm of Perak. Durakovic became the target of the home fans when Perak fell to a 7-0 defeat to JDT in a league match in Johor Bahru.
The Bos Gaurus slipped to fourth place in the 12-team league after a 3-2 defeat to Kedah in their final match at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh.
The defeat proved costly for Perak after Terengganu moved ahead with a win over Petaling Jaya City FC.
In the Malaysia Cup, Perak handed a 4-0 defeat to Kelantan United and was drawn to meet Terengganu in the quarter-finals before the competition was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

TOP GLOVE PURPLE LEAGUE: CHI WING FINISH THIRD IN THE MENS SINGLE

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PUTRAJAYA, Jan 2 – Former national shuttler, Lim Chi Wing finished third in the men’s singles of the Top Glove Purple League Pro-Am 2020 Badminton Championship after defeating Muhd Izzuddin Shamsul Muzli 3-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11 -6) in the classification match at the Precinct 11 Neighbourhood Complex today.

The win has somewhat redeemed Chi Wing’s frustration after failing to advance to the finals of both the men’s singles and also the doubles events.

In the men’s doubles classification tie today, third place went to the pair of Liew Daren-Soong Joo Ven who did not face any problems in scoring a straight set victory over the combination of Shaun Chung Kin Wai-Wong Yau Xiang 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.

The battle for third position in the mixed doubles went to second seeded pair, Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien after their opponents Mohd Arif Abdul Latif-Desiree Siow had to withdrew in the second set due to injury.

Tien Ci-Chiew Sien won 11-6 in the first set and led 5-3 in the second set before Ariff suffered a knee injury which forced him to withdraw.

Arif (left) withdrew from the match due to injury.

“The pain in my knee started yesterday. I cannot jumps and to avoid it becoming even more serious, it was better for me to withdraw,” said Arif who confirmed that he will be concentrating in local tournaments for now.

He added that his main focus will be entirely on the badminton academy to hone new talents.

Meanwhile, in the semi-finals that took place late yesterday evening, non-seeded pair of Boon Xin Yuan-Teoh Lexuan and Tan Kok Xian-Wong Kha Yan will compete for the mixed doubles crown in the final tomorrow.

Xin Yuan-Lexuan bounced back from defeat in the first two sets before showing the exit for 3/4 seed Mohd Arif Abdul Latif-Desiree Siow in a five-set bout 7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-10.

Xin Yuan-Lexuan’s opponents in the final tomorrow is Tan Kok Xian- ong Kha Yan who sprang a surprise to dump second seeded Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien also in a five-set bout, 11-9, 11-8, 3-11, 8-11, 11 -10.

The men’s doubles final will see second seed Shia Chun Kang-Wong Tien Ci up against the pair of Iskandar Zulkarnain-Nur Muhd Azriyn Ayup.

However, the focus in the final of the Top Glove Purple League Pro -Am 2020 tomorrow will surely be in the men’s singles between Joo Ven and Iskandar.

 

TERENGGANU FC BEEFS UP SQUAD FOR NEW SEASON

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 – Ambitious Terengganu FC has added more quality to its squad for the new Malaysian League season with former Australian international, Christopher Gerd joining the Turtles.
More importantly, the East Coast hopefuls are also beefing up their squad for their AFC Cup campaign.
Terengganu will join Kedah for Malaysia’s challenge in the AFC Cup. Seven-time Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim are in the AFC Champions League.
The 1.73 meters tall Herd joins Namibian Petrus Shitembi who played for Sabah last season, Filipino Carli de Murga, and Brazilian David da Silva – the man who replaces Mauritina hitman Dominique Da Silva as the hitman.
Murga fills up the Asean quota vacated by Singapore international Faris Ramli.
Terengganu coach Nafuzi Zain wants quality in the team after Terengganu FC was picked for the AFC Cup slot when the Malaysia Cup competition was canceled at the quarter-final stage due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the past, the Malaysia Cup champions are Malaysia’s second AFC Cup representative.
Nafuzi, who was one of those nominated for the Best Coach of the Year in the recent National Football Awards 2020, has been retained for the new season but he is left with a mammoth task for the new season after losing influential skipper Lee Tuck.
However, the former international has not let the setbacks stand in the way to rebuild the Turtles into a force.
The new signings have given him and the team hope. Shitembi was a hit with Sabah and the nimble-footed former Namibian international earned a nickname – ”Dancing Shoes”. Nafuzi is hoping that Shitembi and his dancing shoes will win over the Terengganu fans with his brand of football.
This year’s M-League kicks off with the Charity Shield match between JDT and Kedah. The curtain raiser will be played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru on Feb 26.

WHAT A BAD START TO THE YEAR 2021

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 – Malaysians woke up to a spate of bad news after ushering in the new year – from bad weather in many parts of the country, a ferry tragedy in Batang Lupar River in Sarawak that left nine dead, a helicopter crash in West Port, Klang that injured two, and a capsized boat in Pulau Perhentian in Terengganu.
A pickup truck laden with passengers is reported to have fallen into the Batang Lupar River off a ferry. Early reports stated that nine bodies have so far been recovered and many of the dead are believed to be family members.
The helicopter crash comes less than two months after two helicopters from the same company collided in mid-air in Taman Melawati that left two dead. One of the helicopters crashed while another managed to land at a nearby school field.
The boat incident in Terengganu left five passengers missing. Four were later rescued while one remains missing according to the latest reports.
However, it is the news, hours into the new year, that reported the termination of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) that jolted the people although the writing was on the wall and was not a surprise to those who knew what was happening to the much-acclaimed project.
The termination came just hours after the HSR Agreement lapsed on Dec 31, 2020. The bilateral agreement for the project was signed in December 2016. The termination is expected to cost Malaysia nothing less than RM300 million in compensation.
Malaysia ad previously compensated Singapore RM45 million when the HSR project was suspended for two years to May 31, 2020, under the Pakatan Harapan government.
In his new year message, hours earlier, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin outlined five priorities with the acquisition of Covid-19 vaccines and implementation of a nationwide vaccination program topping the list.
Muhyiddin also urged leaders to ensure political stability, governance, and administration as it is the ”foundation of economic recovery” as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country.
However, Muhyiddin should arrest the ‘cartel’ of dirty politicians and their cronies first to stop racial politics that has hit a new high in Malaysia.
The cartel is playing a very perilous game, and it has plunged Malaysia to a new low internationally – something which Malaysia can ill afford as it is a multi-racial and multi-religious nation often referred to as the melting-pot.
Muhyiddin cannot ignore this handful of politicians as they continue to fan the “racial flames and religious hatred” both in and outside parliament to gain political mileage for their political career.
It is evident, in parliament the speaker and the deputies have often turned a blind eye to avoid making a decision because of their livelihood.

TOP GLOVE PURPLE LEAGUE 2020: TOP SEEDS ADVANCE TO QUARTERFINALS

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PUTRAJAYA, Dec 30 – The competition is heating up as the top seeds in the mixed doubles were all up to their expectations to advance to the quarterfinals of the Top Glove Purple League Pro Am Badminton Championship 2020.

Lim Tze Jian-Gan Jing Err and Wong Tien Chi-Lim Chiew Sien were among the top eight for the quarterfinals of the tourney after overcoming their respective opponents in the opening matched which took place in Putrajaya today.

Even though they were not selected as one of the tournament favourites, Lim Chi Wing-Ho Yen Mei showed plenty of consistency to progress past the first round following their 3-0 win (11-7, 11-6, 11-7) over Choo Kai Qing-Isabel Liau Bei.

However Chi Wing said they were still adjusting to each other.

“The situation is very much different than what we imagined as the atmosphere is very quiet,” said Chi Wing adding that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on everyone.

“It has been very difficult because there were no competition and the sponsorships have also been reduced because of it.”

He said, it was because lacking of competition that has resulted in him being unable to fly to Thailand to participate in the competition organised by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) due to his relatively low-ranking position.

However, his participation in the Top Glove Purple League Pro Am 2020 has given him the opportunity to bounce back and improve his position.

Chi Wing and Yen Mei will have a tough task in the next round where they will face the tournament second seeds, Wong Tien Chi-Lim Chiew Sien who flew by their opening match to beat Tan Yi Han-Ng Qi Xuan in straight games 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.

Meanwhile, top seed Lim Tze Jian-Gan Jing Err were forced to work hard in four sets before confirming a 3-1 victory (11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 11-10).

It was the smashing prowess of Tze Jian-Jing Err that ensured victory to their favour.

“We are more focused now compared to the training sessions where we have been preparing for two more weeks before going into action,” said Tze Jian who was the champion in the Purple League Junior 2018.

“This Top Glove Purple League Pro Am is a good competition and I am determined to fight all the way to bring home the title.”

Tze Jian-Jing Err will face Boon Xin Yuan-Teoh Lexuan in the quarterfinals following their 3-1 win (11-9, 11-5, 10-11, 11-8) over Leong Jun Kai-Vanessa Chai Voon Ching.

RESULTS

Lim Tze Jian/Gan Jing Err (1) bt Ahmad Maziri Mazlan/Noor Hazwani Hazair

11-8 11-8 3-11 11-10

Boon Xin Yuan/Teoh Lexuan bt Leong Jun Kai/Vanessa Chai Voon Ching

11-9 11-5 10-11 11-8

Lee Jian Yi/Goh Yea Ching bt Chong Ee Jack/Tang Wen Xin

11-5 11-4 11-8

Mohd Arif Abdul Latif/Desiree Siow [3/4] bt Micaiah Chai Jien Zheng/Kok Youki

11-5 11-7 6-11 11-2

Tan Kok Xian/Wong Kha Yan [3/4] bt Muhammad Syazmil Idham/Nur Syaza Roshidi

11-7 11-7 11-7

Too Ming Yap/Teh Won Quin bt Mohamad Najmi Kamarudin/Ng Sin Er

11-10 11-9 4-11 7-11 11-7

Lim Chi Wing/Ho Yen Mei bt Choo Kai Qing/Isabel Liau Bei Yi

11-7 11-6 11-7

Wong Tien Ci/Lim Chiew Sien [2] bt Tan Yi Han/Ng Qi Xuan

11-8 11-5 11-8

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