Ex-national striker Johnny Wong passes away at 85

PETALING JAYA: Former national striker Wong Kong Leong, or better known as Johnny Wong, passed away at the age of 85 in the United States.

This was confirmed by his former teammate Wong Kam Fook, who received a call from Kong Leong’s wife, saying that he died on Saturday morning (April 24).

Wong was described as a”silent killer” who broadened his horizons in Australia and Hong Kong but was very much loved in his hometown Ipoh.

"He has been in the United States since the 1970s. He was a terrific striker. He was calm, and we called him the ‘silent killer’ because out of nowhere, he would score a goal. That's how good he was," said Kam Fook.

"He was my senior, and we could see how brave he was, especially when he decided to play for clubs abroad. Johnny was a good player for the country and his state Perak."

Kok Leong first made his debut for Perak in 1955 and then won his first Malaysia Cup in 1957 when they beat Selangor 3-2, in which he scored the winner.

He won the Cup again in 1967 when Perak beat Singapore 6-1 in the final.

He represented Malaysia in the 1958 Asian Games and the 1966 Merdeka Cup. A year later, he was the first Asian import to play in the Australian League, where he played for North Side United.

In 1962, he was bought by another Australian club called Apia Leichhardt and there, Kok Leong won the 1964 National Premier Leagues NSW, the 1964 and 1965 National Premier Leagues NSW Grand Finals, and the 1962 Waratah Cup.

He then returned to Malaysia in 1966 to play for Perak, but it wasn't long before he moved again when he signed for Hong Kong club Tung Sing and played for them until 1967.