Stick with BAM, Khe Wei urges Pearly-Thinaah
Khe Wei, who won the 2014 Commonwealth Games women's doubles gold with Vivian Hoo, said only those with exceptional discipline succeed as professionals — and even then, it's a huge risk.
"Many have tried and failed to make the grade," she said.
Khe Wei stressed that BAM provides everything from coaching to tournament arrangements, allowing players to focus solely on results.
Pearly-Thinaah have yet to renew their BAM contract, which expired in December, as they are believed to be holding out for a more lucrative deal.
However, BAM has stood firm and is unwilling to further improve its current revised offer.
Khe Wei believes the pair would struggle to find a dedicated women's doubles coach if they go independent.
"BAM offers top-class facilities and coaching. Pearly-Thinaah don't have to worry about logistics. They just train, compete and deliver," she said.
"As independents, they'll need to manage their own schedules, secure a coach, and make travel plans. It's easy to lose discipline without a structured system — players can skip training or slack off.
"With BAM, there's no excuse — they train, eat, sleep and compete. Even injuries are handled well with good recovery support."
Khe Wei also pointed out that Pearly-Thinaah's preferred coach, Rosman Razak, is already with BAM, making a move unnecessary.
She admitted financial freedom could be tempting, especially with the pair's large social media following.
"They're very popular on Instagram and other platforms, so attracting sponsors wouldn't be an issue if they go independent," said Khe Wei.
"But the pressure to perform will still be there. Sponsors only stay if results follow. If their form drops, the deals will dry up too."
She acknowledged that while some independent pairs have succeeded — like world No. 2 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (men's doubles) and world No. 3 Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai (mixed doubles) — it remains a gamble.
"There are risks in going pro. Some manage, but most don't. Pearly-Thinaah should stay with BAM and continue their progress."
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