By SIM LEOI LEOI
The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei has clearly been “manipulated” by the Barisan Nasional when he agreed to receive his RM300,000 cheque in Permatang Pauh.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said there was no need to send Lee back to Permatang Pauh using an airplane provided by the Defence Ministry and landing at an airforce base for the purpose of the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign.

“In fact, I understand that he’s back here today. Why can’t the cheque presentation take place in Kuala Lumpur?

“It’s quite clear that he’s been manipulated and Barisan is using the ceremony to their advantage for the campaign.

“Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has also been using the ministry’s facilities in his campaign by flying to Penang.

“The use of the Defence Ministry’s facilities for the by-election is improper, a form of abuse and a waste of public funds,” he told reporters Thursday at the Parliament lobby here.

Lim said on the contrary, neither he nor any other DAP members use their official state cars when they go campaigning.

“We drive our own private cars. This should be the way. Clearly, Barisan has not learnt its lesson from the March 8 general election,” he said.

The badminton player received the cheque from Najib in a ceremony in Butterworth on Wednesday night.

He also received RM3,000 being the pension reward the Government had promised for the feat. The payments which begin next month are for life.

Lim said Najib should differentiate between private political interest and his government posts.

Asked about the conferment by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas of the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) award on Lee on Aug 30, which carries the title “Datuk”, Lim said the ceremony would take place after the polling date in Permatang Pauh.

“This is because we don’t want to be seen as taking advantage of him,” he said.

On the clash between Chong Eng (DAP - Bukit Mertajam) and Zulkifli Nordin (PKR - Kulim-Bandar Baru) in Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, Lim said it was up to PKR to discipline the latter.

In the disagreement between Chong and Zulkifli on the Bar Council “Conversion to Islam” forum, the latter had called Chong “racist” and “anti-Islam”.

Lim said he knew for a fact that Chong was not racist as her husband is an Indian and she is extremely popular with Malay voters in her constituency.

“I am disappointed with Zulkifli. I would expect such a statement to come from Umno and not from him - a PKR member,” he said.

By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
The Star

GEORGE TOWN: Penang will award a Datukship to badminton singles player Lee Chong Wei, 26, who won the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas would confer the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN), which carries the title Datuk, on Lee on Aug 30.

“The state will award the DSPN to Penang’s first Olympic silver medallist, Bukit Mertajam home-grown talent Lee Chong Wei,” Lim told a press conference Wednesday.

He said Chong Wei had done not only Penang but also Malaysia proud with his achievement.

“Even though Malaysians were disappointed that he failed to win the gold medal, we are proud at his singular achievement which has brought joy to both state and country.

“The state government hopes that this recognition will spur him on to break more records and achieve greater success to win greater glory for both Penang and Malaysia,” said Lim.

He said the DSPN was instituted in 1976 and limited to 800 living persons, and is conferred on individuals of high position who have contributed unique and valuable services to the state.

Chong Wei was not at the morning press conference as he is only scheduled to arrive from Kuala Lumpur in the evening while Lim has to fly off to Kuala Lumpur for his live debate later Wednesday night.

Also at the press conference were state Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi and Chong Wei’s eldest brother Chong Hoon, who contacted the badminton player on his mobile phone and placed it on loudspeaker mode.

Chong Wei said he was very happy and did not at all expect to get a Datukship for being a silver medallist.

“I thought that maybe, if I win the gold medal, I might be given Datukship. But no, I never expected it for the silver and was very surprised,” he said.

Chong Wei said he thought Chong Hoon was joking when he called him on Tuesday evening with the news.

“My thanks to the Penang state for fully supporting me,” he added.

Chong Hoon, 33, said he was proud of his brother and happy for him.

Lee Chong Wei failed in his quest for an Olympic gold medal when he lost to Lin Dan 12-21, 8-21 in the gold medal match for the badminton men’s singles event.

With the defeat, Malaysia will return with only a silver medal from Beijing.

Silver medalist Lee Chong Wei (MAS), Gold medalist Lin Dan (CHN) and Bronze medalist Chen Jin (CHN)

Malaysian Olympic Medal Winners

1. BRONZE: Razif Sidek - Jalani Sidek (badminton, men’s doubles, Barcelona 1992)
2. BRONZE: Rashid Sidek (badminton, men’s singles, Atlanta 1996)
3. SILVER: Cheah Soon Kit - Yap Kim Hock (badminton, men’s doubles, Atlanta 1996)
4. SILVER: Lee Chong Wei (badminton, men’s singles, Beijing 2008)

Whether Malaysia will return from the Beijing Olympics with a gold medal or a silver medal will be decided tonight when 2nd seeds men’s singles badminton player, Lee Chong Wei takes on top seeds Lin Dan from China in the final match tonight.

No doubt Lin Dan has a much better record against Lee Chong Wei. However, as recent as the Thomas Cup semifinals in Jakarta earlier this year, Lee defeated Lin in the first singles match. Unfortunately, Malaysia lost to China 2-3 when the team failed to win crucial matches via the men’s doubles.

Winning a gold medal will be a first for Malaysia as the country has not won any gold medal in the history of the Olympic Games. Malaysia had silver and bronze medals, all in badminton in previous Olympics. In the Barcelona 1992 Games, Razif-Jalani Sidek won a bronze in the men’s doubles while in the Atlanta 1996 Games, Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock won a silver in the men’s doubles and Rashid Sidek won a bronze in the mens’ singles.

The Beijing 2008 Olympics badminton mens’ singles final will feature Lin Dan (top seed) of China and Lee Chong Wei (2nd seed) of Malaysia this Sunday.

This is the first time since badminton is featured in the Barcelona 1992 Olympics where the top 2 seeded players meet in the final in the men’s singles. In the previous games, at least one of the top 2 seeded players never make it to the final, crashing out in the earlier rounds.