The president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia announced that Malaysia has a significant number of international referees, "making it one of the leading nations in badminton officiating."

In addition to having many world-class badminton players, Malaysia also boasts a group of low-profile yet professional "unsung heroes"—international referees and umpires—who quietly uphold fairness and justice on the court. The newly appointed president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia, Tunku Sairuf, recently shared a video on Facebook, publicly revealing the officiating lineup in Malaysian badminton and disclosing an exciting fact: Malaysia currently has 12 international badminton officials, including 4 referees and 8 umpires.

Tunku Sairuf disclosed the officiating lineup in Malaysian badminton, stating that Malaysia currently has 12 international badminton officials.

"Among the 4 referees, 1 is a world-class referee certified by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), while the other 3 are Asian-level referees certified by the Badminton Asia Confederation; among the 8 umpires, there is also 1 world-class umpire, and the remaining 7 are Asian-level." Tunku Sairuf pointed out that Malaysia ranks among the top three in the world in terms of international badminton referees, making it one of the leading nations in badminton officiating.

"Currently, the country with the most international referees is China (15), followed closely by Indonesia with 14, while Malaysia firmly holds the third position with 12." He also responded to some netizens' questions about "why Malaysian referees are rarely seen in international events," explaining that the association is actively promoting a youth succession plan by training, certifying, and providing international exchange platforms to cultivate a new generation of qualified referees, ensuring that Malaysia's influence in badminton officiating continues to grow.

A controversial touch decision during last month's 2025 Malaysia Badminton Masters sparked criticism from Malaysian coach "Fire Dragon" Peng Weixin (right) against the BWF referees.

"Referees may not be the stars of the show, but they are a crucial part of maintaining the spirit of the game. The association will strive to amplify this silent force." Tunku Sairuf's remarks have also impressed many Malaysian badminton fans, who have left comments expressing pride and hope for more Malaysian referees to gain certification. "I didn't know Malaysia had so many international referees, proud!" and "Support the association in nurturing more young umpires to go abroad!"