KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has won six gold medals in the Doha Asian Games up to Wednesday. Local media is optimistic that the nine gold target could be achieved with squashand cycling likely to bring three more.

    The country has secured six golds in bowling, badminton, wushu and sailing, with bowling as the biggest contributor, outreaching the target of two golds.

    Twenty-year-old Esther Cheah, a female Chinese Malaysian player,is for sure the most shining star for her country, as she harvested two golds and three silvers in badminton.

    In the coming women's squash, Nicol David, who defended her World Open champion in Belfast last month, is a trustworthy gold winner in Doha, said local media.

    For the men's squash, Malaysian Ong Beng Hee and Azlan Iskandarare expected to fight each other in the final.

    Meanwhile, there is a good chance for cyclist Josiah Ng to outdo others in the keirin competition.

    Yet, Malaysia also tasted unexpected bitterness in some events.

    R. Puvaneswaran, the champion in the 55 kg kumite even in the 2002 Asian Games, failed to repeat his triumph in Doha and had to take the second place.

    Malaysia's reigning Mr. Universe Sazali Samad was defeated by abodybuilder from United Arab Emirates in the 65 kg category, leaving it hard for Malaysian sports officials and coaches to accept the results.