PETALING JAYA: Malaysia lost a basketball icon with the passing of Tan See Wah, the only coach in the country with nine SEA Games gold medals. See Wah, who passed away on Tuesday at 85, served as deputy secretary-general of Malaysia Basketball Association (MABA) for 16 years before being appointed secretary-general from 2008 to 2010. His tenure marked a critical period of consolidation and growth. Notably, he played a key role in securing continued corporate support, successfully negotiating with Petronas – Maba's Rakan Sukan since 1995 – to renew their partnership for another five years before the original agreement expired in 2010.
See Wah is also a former national player himself from 1965 to 1969 but it is in coaching where he became one of the most accomplished names in South-East Asian women's basketball. He began coaching the Pahang women’s team in 1973, leading them to national titles from 1973 to 1975 and again in 1989. Then he moved on to the national team set-up, serving as the assistant coach of the Malaysia women’s national basketball team during their historic run of five consecutive SEA Games gold medals between 1977 and 1985. As head coach, he led the team to another glorious four consecutive SEA Games golds from 1997 to 2007 – thus making him perhaps the only coach of a national team sport to have won nine SEA Games gold medals.
