Yong Peng folk thrilled to get up-close with Chong Wei
Gathered around the badminton court, the crowd followed the game between Datuk Lee Chong Wei and his opponent avidly, roaring each time a point was scored.
For teenagers like Wong Chee Hao, 17, the opportunity to see his sports idol in the flesh was something he could not pass up.
“Especially when there’s a chance to see him play against our local players,” said Wong, who has been following Lee’s exploits since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“It’s very rare to see him in a small town,” he said.
Tuminah Abdullah, 61, said she had come to the badminton hall with her friend just to catch a glimpse of the Olympic silver medallist and former world number 1.
“Each time he plays live on television, I will always make sure to catch it.
“But this is the first time we get to see him up-close,” she said during “An Evening with Datuk Lee Chong Wei” event here yesterday.
Besides the local talent, Lee also played against Ayer Hitam MCA chief and Barisan Nasional candidate for Yong Peng, Ling Tian Soon.
“I can’t imagine how he carries all the people’s hopes and dreams on stage each time,” gushed Ling, who despite playing regular badminton sessions, soon found himself puffing and sweating. He was going easy on me. There’s such a world of difference.”
Also among the crowd was MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who is defending the Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat. Dr Wee said Lee was fulfilling a longstanding invitation to play in Yong Peng.
“This is just an opportunity for the locals to interact with him,” he said.