Malaysia's former world No. 1 badminton player Lee Chong Wei taught his former arch rival, Chinese legend Lin Dan, how to speak Malay in a humorous TikTok video that has gone viral.
In a 42-second video uploaded on his TikTok account, Lee asks his 553,600 followers if they ever wonder how Lin sounds when speaking Malay.
Lee then begins teaching Lin to master basic phrases such as "Apa khabar?" (How are you?), "Terima kasih" (Thank you) and "Aku cinta kamu" (I love you).
Towards the end of the video, Lin turns the tables on Lee, jokingly saying: "Aku cinta kamu" to the Malaysian, before the two former badminton greats burst into laughter.
The video has garnered 2.2 million views, with many people praising the two for their friendship despite their past rivalry in the sport.
Some are impressed by Lin's enunciation of the Malay phrases.
"Pass," wrote commentator mizannn, while user5735909062037 noted that Lin sounded Malaysian when he spoke Malay.
Many also said they missed watching the duo battle it out on the court.
@leechongweiofficial Pernahkah anda dengar Lin Dan berbahasa Melayu? Have you ever wondered how Lin Dan sounded speaking Malay? Saksikan short video ni. Hebat jgak mamat ni.. Again , thank you Lin Dan bro, for being accommodative yet again. #leechongwei #lindan ♬ original sound - Lee Chong Wei Official
The rivalry between the two from 2004 to 2018 is considered one of the greatest the world has witnessed in badminton.
They met at the All England tournament five times, twice at the World Championships, three times at the Olympics, and twice at the Asian Games. Of these 12 encounters, Lin won 10.
Lee, who logged 348 weeks as world No. 1 but lost six world and Olympic finals, retired in 2019 after a cancer battle.
A year later, Lin, a two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion, announced his retirement.
The Badminton World Federation inducted both players into its Hall of Fame in May in a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
