PETALING JAYA: For many former players, Datuk Seri Andrew Kam (pic) was more than just the man behind Kuala Lumpur Racquet Club (KLRC) – he was someone who stood by the players when they needed support the most.
Andrew, 64, passed away yesterday, and his funeral service will be held at Wesley Methodist Church at 10am today, followed by burial at Nirvana Memorial Park in Shah Alam.
Former national men’s singles shuttler Sairol Amar Ayob, who was with KLRC for six years from 2004 to 2010, remembered Andrew as more than just a boss, describing him as someone who loved badminton and shared a close relationship with his players.
Sairol also admitted he regretted missing the chance to meet Andrew recently after the two had been in touch, as other commitments got in the way.
But one thing Sairol will never forget was the faith and support Andrew showed him when he was embroiled in a doping case in 2006.
Andrew helped Sairol financially to travel to Belgium over the testing of his B sample before he was eventually cleared of wrongdoing.
“At first, I found out about Datuk Andrew’s passing through social media and later contacted his daughter for confirmation,” said Sairol.
“I was shocked because we had remained very close all this while. What I remember most was that he was one of the people who believed in me when I was caught up in the doping issue. He helped me with everything, including financially, so that I could go to Belgium.
“At the time, he told me, ‘If you didn’t take the substance and you didn’t do anything wrong, then don’t be afraid. We will fight this. I was really touched by the support he gave me.’’
Former All-England champion Hafiz Hashim was also saddened by Andrew’s passing. Hafiz, who is now coaching in Saudi Arabia, said Andrew treated all his players equally and was always willing to help those who wanted to succeed.
“He was a very good boss and very supportive. We were all shocked by the news of his passing,” said Hafiz.
“Even after I was no longer with the club, we still kept in touch. Back then, KLRC players did not have a permanent training base. Sometimes we trained in Petaling Jaya and sometimes in Cheras, but Datuk Andrew helped us a lot by giving us opportunities to compete in tournaments overseas.’’
Andrew was a former president of the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Association (KLBA), having held the post in 2008, and also served as a vice-president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
His passion for the sport was perhaps best illustrated ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, when he offered a 12.5kg gold bar worth RM2mil to Malaysia’s badminton players if they could deliver the country’s first Olympic gold medal.
