Go Pei Kee’s sudden move away from Malaysia’s national badminton programme has created uncertainty in the women’s doubles department as the team prepares for upcoming international competitions. The world No. 23 player and her partner Teoh Mei Xing were widely regarded as Malaysia’s second‑strongest women’s doubles pair behind Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, making Pei Kee’s departure a significant loss for the squad.
Although Pei Kee shared her intentions on social media, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has not yet received a formal resignation, and the situation remains unresolved. National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky expressed concern about the impact of her potential exit, especially with the Uber Cup Finals just months away. BAM now faces the task of identifying a new pairing that can shoulder the responsibility left by Pei Kee and Mei Xing.
Rexy highlighted several young women’s doubles teams who could be considered for greater roles, including Carmen Ting and Ong Xin Yee, as well as Low Zi Yu and Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan. While these players show promise, they have yet to establish themselves consistently on the international circuit.
At the recent Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao, China, Malaysia’s women’s team failed to secure an automatic berth for the Uber Cup Finals, underscoring the need for depth and stability within the squad. World junior silver medallists Zi Yu and Noraqilah provided a rare bright spot with a crucial win, but the team’s overall results highlighted the gap left by more experienced players.
With key tournaments approaching, BAM must finalise new partnerships and give emerging players opportunities to develop. The coming months will be critical as Malaysia works to rebuild its women’s doubles prospects and remain competitive on the world stage.
