Monday, November 23, 2009

Santokh Singh hospitalised


Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (third from right) shaking hands with Selangor veterans’ Santokh Singh.

SOCCER legend Santokh Singh has been hospitalised since early this week due to a medical condition.

It remains unknown to what has befallen Santokh, 57, as streams of family members and friends have been visiting him at the Intensive Care Unit in KL Hospital.

Among those who visited Santokh yesterday included former internationals Datuk Soh Chin Aun, Datuk M. Chandran, national coach K. Rajagobal and childhood friend Reduan Abdullah.

"Santokh is my 'kampung' (Setapak) boy. We all grew up together and he refers to my mother as his mother, as our mothers are good friends," said Rajagobal.

"It's a shame to see him in such a condition. For all that he has done for the country and for the man he is, I pray he gets well soon."

An instrumental defender, Santokh first represented Selangor in the Burnley Cup in 1971 and played for the senior squad a year later.

In 1973, then national coach M. Kuppan roped Santokh into the national stable for the Jakarta Independence Cup (Piala Merdeka Jakarta) and aided Malaysia to create history by netting the 1974 Asian Games bronze medal in Tehran, Iran.

He was also part of the team that qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympics but failed to see action in Russia after the government decided to boycott the Games.

Santokh quit Selangor in 1985 but has been playing in several veteran matches in and outside the country since.

Our prayers are with Santokh and we wish him a speedy recovery.

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