JOHOR BAHARU, Dec 4 (Bernama)-- Malaysian sports has lost a true nationalist in the late Datuk Ho Koh Chye, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Latif Ahmad.
Dr Latif, who was once the Johor executive councillor (Exco) for sports, described the death of Koh Chye as a great loss to the country and him personally.
"The late Koh Chye was recruited by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman to serve as the Sports Adviser to the Johor Government when Abdul Ghani took over the state in 1996.
"I was then the Sports Exco and I worked together with Koh Chye on the long term development plans to lift the standard of sports in Johor. I also had the opportunity to work with him when he was the chef-de-mission to the Vietnam SEA Games in 2003 while I was president of the Petanque Association.
"We kept in touch and later I came to know he had some prostrate problems for which he was seeking treatment. And I only learnt about it through a mutual friend. That's the nature of the man.
"I am a doctor and his friend. Yet he never told me anything nor did he ask for help. He didn't want people to be burdened by his personal problems.
"But he always cared about other people's problems. That's why I call him a true nationalist. I am deeply saddened over his death," said Dr Latif.
Koh Chye, 66, died yesterday evening while being driven to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur after he complained that he was not feeling well.
He was the former Director of International Preparation at the National Sports Council and also coached the 1975 National Hockey squad to a fourth placing in the World Cup held in Kuala Lumpur.
That was Malaysia's greatest hockey achievement to date.
-- BERNAMA
Dr Latif, who was once the Johor executive councillor (Exco) for sports, described the death of Koh Chye as a great loss to the country and him personally.
"The late Koh Chye was recruited by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman to serve as the Sports Adviser to the Johor Government when Abdul Ghani took over the state in 1996.
"I was then the Sports Exco and I worked together with Koh Chye on the long term development plans to lift the standard of sports in Johor. I also had the opportunity to work with him when he was the chef-de-mission to the Vietnam SEA Games in 2003 while I was president of the Petanque Association.
"We kept in touch and later I came to know he had some prostrate problems for which he was seeking treatment. And I only learnt about it through a mutual friend. That's the nature of the man.
"I am a doctor and his friend. Yet he never told me anything nor did he ask for help. He didn't want people to be burdened by his personal problems.
"But he always cared about other people's problems. That's why I call him a true nationalist. I am deeply saddened over his death," said Dr Latif.
Koh Chye, 66, died yesterday evening while being driven to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur after he complained that he was not feeling well.
He was the former Director of International Preparation at the National Sports Council and also coached the 1975 National Hockey squad to a fourth placing in the World Cup held in Kuala Lumpur.
That was Malaysia's greatest hockey achievement to date.
-- BERNAMA
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