# Thomas Cupper Liew Daren quits national team after 10 years
# Malaysian Masters GP Gold his last international tournament under BAM
Yet another national shuttler has quit the national team and Thomas Cupper Liew Daren is the latest to join the long list of exodus.
After 10 years of “national service” the 28-year-old Liew Daren submitted his quit letter to the Badminton Association of Malaysia at the beginning of the month to go professional.
Liew Daren, who is making a comeback to competitive badminton after laying off for the more than two months due to a nagging hamstring injury, discussed his resignation with his coach Hendrawan.
“The coach left it to me and I have decided to quit the national team. I submitted my quit letter early this month but there has been no reply yet….(but) I know it will be accepted,” said Liew Daren, adding that the USD120,000 Malaysian Masters Grang Prix Gold in Penang next week will be his last tournament under BAM.
Liew Daren was speaking to sports journalists after giving his team Puchong United a roaring start to their Champions Challenge by winning his men’s singles match against Petaling BC’s national champion Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin in a quarter-final tie at Arena of Stars in Genting on Wednesday.
Liew Daren played his first Purple League match last Sunday when he thrashed Tan Chun Seang of Muar City BC in their upset 9-8 win over the champions in their final league match.
His high in his 10-career with the national team was winning the Yonex French Open Superseries in 2012 – his only superseries win.
He skippered the Malaysian Thomas Cup team in New Delhi but lost all his three matches. Malaysia lost to Japan 2-3 in the final.
Liew Daren’s next stop is the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold in Penang next week where is drawn to meet Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana in the first round.
“I am no looking for sponsors for me to play professional badminton. Badminton is still in my blood and I am confident of myself as an independent player,” added Liew Daren who will play for Puchong United in the Champions League till the end.
Other national shuttlers who have quit the national team are Koo Kien Keat, Tan Boon Heong, Hiew Thien How, Lim Khim Wah and Yang Li Lian.
