The triple Olympic silver medallist defeated Japan's unseeded player Kento Momota 21-17, 23-21 in today's men's singles final at the Axiata Arena.

Lee, seeded seventh, is also a triple World Championship silver medallist so is known as a "nearly man" when it comes to the sport's biggest prizes.

At his home event, however, he has no equal.

"It's sort of a record-filled year," said 35-year-old Lee, who was seeded seventh. 

"Winning a 12th Malaysia Open title in front of your home fans is never easy. 

"I was under so much pressure coming into this tournament. 

"Momota had a 21-match winning streak and I'd lost to him in our previous meeting, so it wasn't easy. 

"But this is my own challenge. 

"I always challenge myself, because I'm no longer 26."

Lee's victims at the event included reigning world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the quarter finals.

The women's tournament was won by Chinese Taipei's top seed and world number one Tai Tzu-ying.

She defeated China's eighth seed He Bingjiao 22-20, 21-11 to bag a fourth title in a row.

"I'd given up when I was 17-20 down in the first game, I told myself to just stay in the game," Tai said. 

"I made too many errors and fell behind, but fortunately I could steady myself."

Japan won two of the doubles titles with the men's crown going to sixth seeds Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda.

They beat unseeded compatriots Hiroyuki Endo and Yuta Watanabe 21-8, 21-10.

Fifth seeds Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi then won the women's doubles by seeing off number one ranked Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China, 21-12, 21-12.

The mixed crown was won by Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong in an all-Chinese affair.

The fourth seeds beat Wang Yilu and Huang Dongping 21-19, 21-18.