PETALING JAYA: Businessman and prominent badminton patron Datuk Seri Andrew Kam, who once offered a RM2mil gold bar reward for Malaysia's first Olympic gold medallist, has passed away at the age of 64.
His death was confirmed by his daughter Hannah Kam today (Sept 4).
Born on Feb 2, 1962, Andrew began his career in the legal profession before making his mark as an entrepreneur, with business interests over the years spanning power generation, property development, mining and plantations.
Andrew was also known for his long-standing involvement in Malaysian badminton, driven by his love for the sport.
He founded and personally funded the Kuala Lumpur Racquet Club (KLRC), which provided an alternative platform for professional players and was built around a merit-based philosophy to give talented shuttlers the opportunity and support to compete at the highest level.
The club also offered a second chance to talented players whose careers might otherwise have stalled outside the national set-up, allowing them to continue competing based on their ability and potential.
Their reach extended beyond Malaysia, with Andrew sponsoring players globally, including shuttlers from Australia and other countries, and supporting their efforts to compete on the international circuit.
Over the years, KLRC supported a number of prominent Malaysian players, including former All England champion Hafiz Hashim, world junior champion Zulfadli Zulkifli and former Dutch Open champion Sairul Amar Ayob.
In 2008, Andrew succeeded Malaysian badminton great Punch Gunalan as president of the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Association after being elected unopposed.
He also served at that time as a vice-president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia.
His passion for the sport was memorably demonstrated ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, when he offered a 12.5kg gold bar worth RM2mil to Malaysia's badminton players if they brought home the country’s first Olympic gold medal.
In 2015, he stepped in with a RM1mil sponsorship for the Petaling Jaya Badminton Club after learning that they had yet to secure a sponsor for their Purple League campaign.
His funeral service will be held at Wesley Methodist Church in Kuala Lumpur at 10am tomorrow, followed by burial at Nirvana Memorial Park in Shah Alam.
