KUALA LUMPUR - Former All England champion Hafiz Hashim, struggling to live on $170 a month, has been offered a financial lifeline by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), media reports said on Saturday.

The 26-year-old had recently quit his club of nine years Nusa because he was unhappy with his monthly allowance, paid by BAM as part of his Olympic preparations.

"Initially, I had no plan to join the BAM. I wanted to jump from one club to another. Now, the offer made by BAM is good. I will take it into consideration," Hafiz said in The Star newspaper.

"There are a lot of benefits as a national player."

Hafiz's poor recent form forced the BAM to cut his monthly allowance by more than 70 per cent in October.

Nusa, which traditionally nurtures players in partnership with BAM, was unable to add to his allowance, prompting Hafiz to look for another club.

He was poised to join independent side KLRC Bhd but the governing body now wants him to stay with its programme.

"Hafiz is a talented player and we want to help him," BAM president Nadzmi Mohd Salleh said. "If he works his way up again, he will enjoy better remuneration from the BAM. It will solve his financial worries."

Since winning the All England men's singles title in 2003, Hafiz has struggled and has not reached a major international semi-final in more than a year.