Former world No. 1 Datuk Foo Kok Keong has emphasized the importance of support for Lee Zii Jia as the Malaysian men’s singles shuttler grapples with a decline in form. Following a surprising second-round exit to lower-ranked Taiwanese player Wu Zhe-ying at the Vietnam Open on Wednesday, concerns have grown over Zii Jia’s ability to regain his previous competitive edge.

The Vietnam Open, classified as a Super 100 tournament, had been viewed as an opportunity for Zii Jia to rebuild confidence and find rhythm after a challenging period marked by injuries last year. Despite this setback, Foo Kok Keong downplayed suggestions that the issue lies with the current training regime under coach Liew Daren, an experienced former international player.

“I think he needs someone he can talk to, perhaps Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei or even me, so that we can listen to him and offer advice on what might help,” Foo said. He explained that the training itself remains consistent, but Zii Jia may benefit from trusted mentorship to identify areas of weakness and work on addressing them collaboratively.

Lee Chong Wei, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman and an Olympic bronze medallist, had previously offered his assistance to Zii Jia. Chong Wei expressed readiness to welcome the player back into the national training framework if it would aid his revival. Zii Jia, however, parted ways with BAM four years ago, and the national body has since struggled to develop a men’s singles player who can compete consistently at the highest level.

While some commentators have viewed the state of Malaysia’s men’s singles badminton as problematic, Foo rejected the notion that the situation is deteriorating. He noted that the global competitive landscape has intensified, with more countries producing elite players, citing France’s Alex Lanier as an example of a recent breakthrough.

“I don’t think things are getting worse. It’s just that many other countries are improving,” Foo remarked. He called on BAM's coaches and management to continue efforts to support and enhance player development to help Malaysia maintain its prominence on the world stage.