Thomas Cup teams among new inductees into OCM Hall of Fame

First singles player Rashid Sidek with the 1992 Thomas Cup which Malaysia won after defeating Indonesia 3-2 in the final at Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia last won the Cup in 1967. Date : 16.05.1992

KUALA LUMPUR: Four Thomas Cup winning teams – 1952, 1955, 1967 and 1992 – have been inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) Hall of Fame.

Among the 25 inductees from the four teams were the late Wong Peng Soon, the late Eddy Choong, Tan Yee Khan, Ng Boon Bee, Foo Kok Keong, Cheah Soon Kit and the Sidek brothers – Razif, Jalani, Rashid and Rahman.

Some of the the inductees and their representatives were honoured by the OCM at their 23rd annual dinner and awards night at the Wisma OCM.

“I was previously inducted as an individual, but this is more special,” said Rashid, who defeated Ardy Wiranata in the first singles to give Malaysia the lead in the 3-2 win over Indonesia in the 1992 final in Kuala Lumpur.

“While we are happy to be recognised for our achievement in 1992, I must admit that I’m disappointed that we’ve failed to win the Thomas Cup again since then.”

Soon Kit, who partnered Soo Beng Kiang to beat Ricky Subagja-Rexy Mainaky for the winning point, said he was surprised to be inducted.

“After 23 years, it came as a surprise. But I also feel honoured at the same time.

“It’s certainly one of my biggest awards. To be an OCM Hall of Famer is one of the highest recognitions you could earn as an athlete in the country,” said Soon Kit, who was recently appointed as a national coach with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).

The OCM also inducted 11 others, including eight sports officials for their outstanding contributions.

The late Edwin Chong, the former Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia secretary who was the driving force behind Malaysia’s rise in world diving, as well as former National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad were among the inductees.

Tengku Datin Seri Noor Hazah Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah was named as the recipient of the Women and Sport award for her contributions in lawn bowls. While helming the Perak Lawn Bowls Association from 1994 to 2003, Noor Hazah was responsible in producing a big pool of talented women lawn bowlers, including two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Siti Zalina Ahmad.

 

THE AWARD WINNERS

Women and Sport: Tengku Datin Seri Noor Hazah Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah.

Women and sport grassroots development: Chee Geok Song.

Technical achievement: Mary Lee Cheng Sim.

Partnership: Hanifah Yoong Yin Fah and Norzeela Sulaiman.

OCM HALL OF FAME

Individual: Soong Poh Wah (table tennis), Jeffrey Ong (swimming) and Yang Siow Ming (hockey).

Team: 1952 Thomas Cup (Wong Peng Soon, Ooi Teck Hock, Ong Poh Lim, Chan Kon Leong, Abdullah Piruz and Ismail Marjan); 1955 Thomas Cup (Wong Peng Soon, Ooi Teck Hock, Ong Poh Lim, Eddy Choong, Lim Kee Fong and Tan Jin Eong); 1967 Thomas Cup (Tan Aik Huang, Yew Cheng Hoe, Teh Kew San, Ng Boon Bee, Tan Yee Khan, Billie Ng Seow Meng and Omar Manaf); 1992 Thomas Cup (Rashid Sidek, Foo Kok Keong, Kwan Yoke Meng, Razif Sidek, Jalani Sidek, Soo Beng Kiang, Chean Soon Kit, Wong Ewee Mun and Rahman Sidek).

Outstanding sports officials: Edwin Chong (aquatics and OCM), Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad (cycling and NSC), Datuk A. Sani Karim (squash and OCM), Datuk Roy Rajasingham (taekwondo and OCM), Datuk Yeoh Choo Hock (basketball).

Outstanding sports journalist: Tony Francis.