Malaysia substituted their number one player with Ariez Elyaas Deen Heshaam who competed well despite his lack of experience.
Leong won 6-1 6-0 6-1 but it took almost two hours to see off the determined Malaysian.
Cyril Jacobe lost the final rubber against the Malaysian number 2 player 75 76(2).
Meanwhile New Zealand completed a 3-2 win over Pakistan to take them into the final of Asia/Oceania Group 2 to be played in September.
Malaysia replaced their number one player Yew-Ming Si with their number four player Ariez Elyaas Deen Heshaam for the vital first reverse singles against Michael Leong.
Heshaam broke serve in the opening game and then held points for a 2-0 lead.
The game went on for over 15 minutes with exhausting rallies and both players having opportunities to take it.
Eventually Leong claimed the game and went on to win the set 6-1.
The second set continued the trend of long rallies and very close games but Leong managed to convert the game points and take the set 6-0.
Despite the scoreline both players worked very hard for the points and it took determination and good focus from Leong to win the set.
Both players dropped serve at the start of the third set before Leong began to hit out and seized control of the match taking the remaining five games for the match and the tie for Pacific Oceania.
The scoreline of 61 60 61 meant that Michael Leong dropped only four games in six sets of singles.
Winning the doubles with Cyril Jacobe meant that Leong is the first Pacific Oceania player to win three rubbers in the same tie.
The Pacific Oceania will take its place in Asia/Oceania Group II in 2011 for the second straight year.
Solomon Islands Tennis Federation Executive member Benjamin Joel speaking to Star Sports yesterday spoke highly of Leong’s performance.
“At the moment Michael is a professional player, he knows his preparations before every game.”
“Excluding Australia and New Zealand, Michael is the only world rated player of the Pacific Island nations, he is ranked in the 700’s out of 5000 players in the world,” he said.
Michael Leong will represent Solomon Islands in the Commonwealth Games in October and will be coached by his father Patrick Leong.
Mr Joel said that with his professionality young Leong has a high chance of grabbing a medal for Solomon Islands in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Dheli, India.
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