22
speak up!
by Terence Fernandez
terence@thesundaily.com
“Heartfelt condolences Maria and
Terence. God Bless. Ho Koh Chye.”
I RECEIVED this SMS at 7.50am
on Dec 2, last year – just hours
after my father-in-law had passed
away. Koh Chye’s was the first
message I had received.
Little did Maria and I know
that a year and a day to that
message, we would be hugging
Karen and grieving over the
passing of her husband.
I was introduced to Datuk Ho
Koh Chye by Citizen Nades over
five years ago. Initially, he was an
acquaintance who was a valuable
source of information but we got
to talking a lot more than just
sports and politics during the
days following Nades’ daughter
Sumitra’s death; and later became
part of each other’s inner circle
– being invited to family functions
and such.
He apologised profusely for
being unable to make it for my
sister’s wedding reception, only to
show up at church for the service
to extend his congratulations.
Passing of a
towering Malaysian
by R. Nadeswaran
citizen-nades@thesundaily.com
LAST Wednesday, he was in his
bed at the Subang Jaya Medical
Centre, half-joking, half-serious
showing a photograph of what
had been removed from his
prostate: “You can make a meal
of this!” He was going home the
next day and all he wanted was
the results of the biopsy. As we
were leaving, he said: “The Sports
Parliament must convene soon.”
The regular lunch sessions
where anything and everything
on sports is dissected and
analysed, had been put on hold
House adjourned
While some other guests
expected to be fussed over, this
Datuk, along with his Datin
advised me to attend to my sister
and the other guests and not to
worry about them. Such was his
humility.
He showed concern when
my mother-in-law was
diagnosed with cancer, probably
empathising by the fact that his
son Ian is a cancer survivor too.
(His other child is Adeline.)
When the Rotary Club of
Damansara wanted to bestow an
award to Nades and me, we were
each asked to bring a personal
guest. My choice was a given
and Koh Chye said he “would be
honoured to be your guest.”
“No, Sir,” I told him. “It is I who
should be honoured.”
He would call me up
occasionally to discuss
my columns, especially
when I “hantam” the sports
– he had been away in Beijing for
the Olympics. On his return, a few
days were spent on preparing his
report and then he was off again
to Shanghai to spend time with
his grandchildren. After returning
a month later, he headed for
surgery.
Sports Parliament won’t be
reconvened for some time and if it
reconvenes, it won’t be the same
anymore. Parliamentary debates
are mundane without the wit and
humour. The man who usually
delivers the punch line with a
straight face and a subtle smile, is
no longer with us. Ho Koh Chye,
one of the country’s foremost
establishment, either to offer
support, advice and additional
information or even ammunition.
His advice would vary from:
“There may come a time when
you ask if what you are doing
matters, but the answer to that
is how much you are willing
to sacrifice” to: “You guys
are doing a great job, but you
must be careful also as you are
In session ... (From left) Datuk R. Yogeswaran, Citizen Nades, Fernandez, Koh Chye and Datuk Dr Mani Jegathesan.
names in sports passed away at
66 years on Wednesday – 10 days
after his surgery.
My first brush with Koh Chye
was in the lobby of the Merlin
Hotel (now the Concorde) in 1975.
He was coach of the national
hockey team for the World Cup.
I was a brash young reporter.
Watching him interact with
people left a lasting impression.
Perhaps, he carried the cikgu in
theSun
encroaching into people’s rice
bowl!”
When he was appointed chef
de mission to Beijing there was
a coterie of journalists asking for
exclusive interviews. His response
was “sorry, I promised someone
else first.”
Of course, that someone was
me. And in spite of a delay on my
part in conducting the interview,
him (he was a trained teacher)
wherever he went. He always
had something to share. Over the
years, we met regularly at his
office in Jalan Gurney where he
had been seconded to as an officer
at the Sports Ministry.
“Enjoy what you do. The
day you stop enjoying it, turn to
something that you will enjoy
doing,” he used to say. That
perhaps underscores his turning
| FRIDAY DECEMBER 5 2008
Koh Chye held off the others until
I was good and ready.
I was always thrilled to listen
to Koh Chye. His dry humour
gave me insight and belly aches,
while his fatherly demeanour
provided wisdom and comfort,
and his inside stories made my
eyes bulge.
Our common love for “ellai
sapadu” (banana leaf meals)
was the common denominator
for the “Sports Parliament”
lunch sessions we had along
with other Olympians, Datuk
Dr Mani Jegathesan and Datuk
R. Yogeswaran who regards
Koh Chye as his “anne” (elder
SHAHRIL AMIN/THESUN
his back on hockey a few years
ago after having contributed to
the game as a player, coach and
manager. But his passion for
sports never wavered despite
the intrigues of politics and
back-stabbing still prevalent in
Malaysian sports. He believed
that sports enhances health,
psychological, physical and social
development. Sports provides the
platform in character-building.