Tuesday, January 26, 2010

King Ghaz Reigned Over Golden Age In Sports


 http://www.nst.com.my/articles/54OBII/pix_topright

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's prowess in track and field was at its height under Tun Ghazali Shafie when he led the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) for 26 years from 1962.

It was the golden era especially for the women athletes, namely Marina Chin, V. Angamah, Saik Oik Cum and Zaiton Othman, who dazzled on the track with their gutsy spirit and winning performances.

King Ghaz, as he was fondly referred to, also presided over the likes of "flying doctor" M. Jegathesan, who won in the 1966 Asiad in Bangkok, Ishtiaq Mobarak, who qualified for the semifinals of the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Rabuan Pit, who won the Asian sprint gold in 1982 in New Delhi, and B. Rajkumar, who captured the 1986 Asian championships 800m gold in record-shattering style.

Inevitably, Ghazali's death yesterday at the age of 88 was mourned in sports circles.

His love for sports never waned, according to Datuk A. Vaithilingam, one of the longest-serving athletics officials now retired.

The infighting within the MAAU that led to the suspension of the national association by the Sports Commissioner in 2002 pained Ghazali so much so that he called Vaithilingam.

"Vaithi, can we both do something to clear the mess in MAAU now?" Ghazali asked Vaithilingam.

"At that time, he had already left the MAAU for 14 years but he was still concerned. He had full control, discipline, efficiency and mutual respect with democracy as his style," Vaithilingam said.

Ghazali launched a five-year development plan for athletics in 1967 and, by 1972, every state in Malaysia had qualified coaches and officials and all-weather tracks were constructed in most states.

"Those were wonderful years. His interest in the welfare of athletes was always inspiring. During his tenure, Malaysia had a team of golden girls in Angamah, Oik Cum, Marina and Zaiton and we also had Kamaruddin Mydin and Nashatar Singh," Vaithilingam said.

Oik Cum, the lanky young athlete who stunned the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games for the 400m gold medal, has fond memories.

"He was a good leader and very caring," said Oik Cum, who works with a bank here.

Jegathesan, now deputy president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, said Malaysian athletics had plenty to thank Ghazali for.

"During that time, athletes were amateurs and officials were volunteers. Sometimes, he forked out his own money to help us because there was no National Sports Council then.

"The MAAU really depended on his connections and, under King Ghaz, it was truly the golden years," Jegathesan said.

-- BERNAMA

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