Story by K.H. Ong
SPEND time to continue enjoying sports even though you have started to join the marketplace or are already pursuing a career.
Penang Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee said this during his speech before the start of the 2nd Alumni Badminton Tournament at the Penang Badminton Association (PBA) Hall in Bukit Dumbar today.
“Sports is also important after our primary, secondary, college or university days. Today, we’ve a different lifestyle, often busy with work till we forget about sports. I hope all of you won’t forget about sports. You must keep up the momentum and spirit,” he told the players and officials.
Soon praised the organiser of the championships, Chung Hwa School Union, for holding the competition and hoped other associations would emulate them.
“This event is very good. It helps to unite all ex-students who together can form their own teams. I hope all other associations and NGOs can do likewise for their own sports.”
Soon also called on PBA to unearth and develop new talents, lamenting that there is no Datuk Lee Chong Wei in the making at this time.
Also present were PBA treasurer Loh Eng Swee, organising chairman Gary Poh and tournament referee Richard Wong Wai Koon.
The tournament drew eight teams, namely Chung Hwa “Red”, Chung Hwa “Blue”, Methodist Boys School, Heng Ee Ex-Pupils Association, Old Frees Association (OFA), Old Xaverians Association (OXA), Chung Ling High School and Mixed Alumni.
Among quite a number of former state players in action today were Koay Tee Wei (OFA) and Saw Chit Boon (MBS) and former national players Ho Khim Soon and Thomas Teh (both OXA) and Ong Ewe Hock, who captained the Mixed Alumni team.
Another shuttler who took part was Ajitpal Singh, who represented OXA. He was named after the 1975 Indian World Cup hockey captain by his late father, Gopal Singh, a former Telekom Malaysia employee and a stringer for Bernama and New Straits Times.
