Badminton star Lee Zii Jia (李梓嘉) has been getting a lot of bad press lately. The young athlete was recently accused of rude behaviour when an interview with a media outlet was cut short during the Hangzhou Asian Games tournament. While the public figure can’t stop what’s being said or written, he requested for something that should never be brought up, or otherwise there’d be consequences.
During a media conference at the Hangzhou Asian Games yesterday (Monday, 2nd October), Lee Zii Jia said he acknowledges that he cannot control what people will say or write about him. “A lot has happened since I left BAM (Badminton Assosiation Malaysia). I rarely give out statements on certain issues whether they were true or not but I understand that it’s just part of the media’s job,” he said.
@hypemalaysia Here’s what #LeeZiiJia #李梓嘉 had to say about the rumours that were spread about his family members:
While the 25-year-old understands that he can’t do much, he insists the media to not bring up his family or loved ones in any news of his controversial issues. “The media can write anything about me whether it’s true or false but never bring my family into any of this. Do not ever mention the people I care about. If you cross that line, I will drop everything and find you,” he said.
The athlete’s statement went viral all over social media with many praising him for standing up for the people he loves. While fans showed support for Lee Zii Jia, a local reporter responded to the public figure’s statement regarding the media spreading false news.
In the screenshot below, sports journalist Hazreen Mubarak stated that the young star should not challenge the credibility and integrity of those who work in the media. “Every article and video we put out have all been factual. If there’s any misinformation, provide proof. Just focus on your work and we’ll focus on ours,” he wrote.
The writer’s response was met with mostly negative comments from fans with many defending the badminton player. According to fans and what was mentioned in Lee Zii Jia’s statement, the athlete didn’t even mention any specific media outlet and was only simply protecting his family.
Lee Zii Jia has enough things to worry about now so let’s hope this issue will not escalate further.
