Malaysia Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh's photos with Thai badminton player Kunlavut Vitidsarn, 23, on Aug. 7 have sparked outrage online for being "tone-deaf" and "insensitive".

The silver medalist had beaten Malaysian shuttler Lee Zii Jia, 26, in the Men's Singles Semi-Finals just three days prior.

Yeoh congratulates Vitidsarn on Instagram

In the Instagram post, Yeoh, 45, wrote,

"Congratulations @kunlavut.v for winning silver in Paris 2024. I enjoy his style of badminton so much. So calm and collected. He has a new fan in me!"

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Hannah Yeoh (@hannahyeoh)

Netizens slam Yeoh for being insensitive and a "fangirl"

Netizens slammed Yeoh for the post, which they deemed insensitive and inappropriate for a sports minister.

Many were also outraged at Yeoh's "fangirl" attitude, saying that she was at the Olympics as a Sports Minister, not a fan.

One netizen angrily commented under Yeoh's post:

"If you want to be a fan, don't come there with the title of minister. Wear your own clothes, buy your own tickets, pay for the hotel with your own meals."

"You are there in a capacity as a minister representing Malaysia, not as an ordinary audience," another wrote, adding that while Yeoh has every right to take photos with any athlete, it is best she kept the photo private.

However, others defended the minister, saying Yeoh's post showed sportsmanship.

Yeoh congratulated Lee in a prior Instagram post

Yeoh congratulated Lee for winning bronze in the Men's Singles on Aug. 6 and a separate post for gold medalists Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Chia for winning the Badminton Men's doubles.

However, Yeoh's post for Lee was also slammed due to controversies surrounding the nation's badminton player and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).

Lee had parted ways with BAM to play independently in January 2022, a decision that caused some to brand him as a "traitor".

Yeoh said in the Instagram post that the discussion on being with the association versus being independent can wait for another day, adding:

"For now, go out there and celebrate this win @leeziijia. Congratulations and well done!"

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A post shared by Hannah Yeoh (@hannahyeoh)

Top image via Hannah Yeoh's Instagram.