KUALA LUMPUR: National badminton legend Datuk Razif Sidek described the passing of Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali as a great loss to the Malaysian badminton family, particularly the members of the 1992 Thomas Cup squad who ended the country’s 25-year wait for the prestigious trophy 34 years ago.
Razif, who captained the 1992 Thomas Cup squad, said Tun Dr Siti Hasmah, who was the patron of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), was more than just a source of support for the team, as the players regarded her as a mother figure who was always close to them and concerned about their preparations.
"We regarded her as the mother of the Thomas Cup squad at the time. Sometimes, she would come to our training sessions, meet and chat with us and offer a few words of encouragement.
"We will never forget her contribution when Malaysia won the Thomas Cup in 1992 at Stadium Negara,” he said.
Razif said apart from the sweet memory of lifting the Thomas Cup, he would also never forget Tun Dr Siti Hasmah’s support at the Barcelona Olympics that same year, where he and his younger brother, Datuk Jalani Sidek, made history by winning the country’s first Olympic medal.
He said Tun Dr Siti Hasmah’s presence in Barcelona was particularly meaningful to the national badminton players, especially for the support and encouragement she provided throughout the Games.
"Her presence meant a lot to Jalani and me and gave us added motivation to compete at the Olympics.
"Alhamdulillah, we managed to bring home the country’s first Olympic medal at the time,” said Razif, who last met Tun Dr Siti Hasmah last year.
Tun Dr Siti Hasmah, the wife of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) this morning at the age of 100. - Bernama
