Datuk Lee Chong Wei, a national shuttler and former triple silver medallist in the Olympics, has been named Johor’s sports ambassador, with the goal of motivating future athletes and boosting the state’s sporting prowess.
Mohd Ekmaluddin Ishak, director of the Johor State Sports Council (MSNJ), said the appointment of the three-time Olympic silver medallist is consistent with Johor’s mission of cultivating a world-class sports culture.
“This is a strategic collaboration, and we will identify more sports with high potential based on current trends and Johor’s sports development plan through workshops. More importantly, Chong Wei will not only inspire athletes to become great sportsmen but also better individuals,” he said.
He was addressing during a news conference following the signing ceremony between MSNJ and Chong Wei, which was also attended by Mohd Hairi Mad Shah, chairman of the Johor State Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development, and Cooperative Committee.
Meanwhile, Chong Wei, a National Sports Icon Award laureate, expressed thanks for being nominated as Johor Sports Ambassador, saying he looked forward to sharing his athletic experiences to help Johor’s young athletes improve.
“I will share my career journey, including the ups and downs I faced as an athlete, how I rose again after falling, how I managed everything, and the lessons I learned from my own sports idols — those are the experiences I intend to pass on,” he said.
Chong Wei also cited Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail’s ambition for sports, as well as the support of the Johor people, as reasons for accepting the ambassadorial position.
Previously, Sonny Bill Williams, a world rugby star and former All Blacks player, was named Johor Sports Ambassador for a year in an effort to boost the state’s sporting development.
The appointment was announced by the Director of the Johor State Sports Council (MSNJ), TS. Ekmaluddin Ishak, at the Agreement Signing Ceremony between MSNJ and Sonny Bill Williams at DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru.
Williams described the appointment as a great honour for him.
“I truly believe in what the Crown Prince of Johor is trying to do here. From what I understand, there will be more big news to be announced, and this is very exciting. I believe that in the next five to ten years, we will be able to see big changes – not only for Johor or Malaysia, but at the global level, especially in empowering the youth,” he said during the announcement cum signing ceremony.
Prior to the appointments of Lee Chong Wei and Sonny Bill Williams, Mohd Hairi Mad Shah, head of the Johor Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development, and Cooperatives Committee, reportedly stated that more athletes, including Khabib Nurmagomedov for martial arts, would be hired soon.
“The Regent of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail has appointed a few athletes (as ambassadors). We will see more world-class individuals being made sports ambassadors in Johor which I think is good for the development of the younger generation of athletes.
“World-ranked athletes like Chong Wei, Sonny Bill and Khabib and many others, perhaps basketball, cricket and hockey athletes, can encourage the state’s young athletes to succeed like them”, said Mohd Hairi to the reporters when asked about Chong Wei’s appointment as a Johor sports ambassador.
Mohd Hairi stated that the action was consistent with aspirations to establish Johor into a sports hub.
“Sports can serve not only as a platform for economic networking but also as a driver of tourism and a unifying force among the people,” he added.
Johor Sports Ambassadors was incepted and first made public by the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, during a Q&A session with Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) fans in Johor Bahru on March 2025.
According to the session that was broadcasted live through Official Johor Facebook page, Tunku Ismail highlighted his commitment to developing all sports in Johor, not just football.
“My approach for the youth programme for young people is not just focused on football but on all sports, including badminton, basketball, boxing and rugby,” he said.
Tunku Ismail added that Johor’s Menteri Besar, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, has also expressed support for bringing more sports icons into the fold.
“For example, Datuk Lee Chong Wei will be appointed as Johor’s badminton advisor, and Sonny Bill Williams will serve as a rugby advisor, in addition to being a Johor sports icon ambassador.
“We have many others, including Tim Cahill and Khabib (Nurmagomedov), who will be opening a gym here. All of them are Johor’s sports ambassadors and icons, with many programmes set to be introduced for the youth of Johor,” he said.
JDT has evolved beyond a football club, expanding into multiple sports, including ice hockey, futsal, and boxing, under the leadership of Mohd Fakhan Haron.
The club also features a racing team led by Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, who competes in the Asia Road Racing Championship.
