MALAYSIAN sports lost a legend when former badminton star Tan Aik Mong passed away at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre today.
He succumbed to cancer at the age of 70.
Aik Mong and his elder brother, 1966 All England champion Aik Huang, were all the rage in the 60s and 70s.
One of Aik Mong’s greatest achievements was winning the Asian championships in 1971. He was also a member of the 1972 Thomas Cup Finals.
A Penangite, Aik Mong featured for the national team from 1966 to 1975. Because of his love for badminton, he even came back at the age of 63 to head BAM’s Talent Management Group as its director with the hope of lifting badminton to greater heights. But his stint was shortlived as it lasted only 18 days.
Always interested in information technology, he pursued his career as a system analyst and a computer manager in Kuala Lumpur.
Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria said BAM was deeply saddened by the loss of Aik Mong.
“On behalf of BAM, we wish to express our deepest condolences to his family for the passing of someone who had contributed significantly to BAM and Malaysian badminton. He will be missed dearly by the badminton fraternity,” Norza said.
Soon Lip Chee, the state executive councillor for Youth and Sports, said the state and country have lost a legend.
“I feel sad that Aik Mong had left us. Penang has always produced great badminton players, including the Tan brothers – Aik Mong and Aik Huang.
“Penang is proud of Aik Mong’s tremendous achievements for the state and country. And on behalf of the state and the Penang State Sports Council, I wish to extend our condolences to his family.
“Although the young generation may not know who Aik Mong is, I believe history is very important for us to remember and cherish his contributions in the Malaysian sports arena,” Soon said.
Former Thomas Cup skipper Datuk Teh Kew San and his wife Datin Ng Mei Ling also expressed their sadness, adding that Aik Mong would meet up with them each time he came to Penang for ‘Qing Ming’ to pay respects to his mother and sister.
“The last we met was on Nov 18 last year when he came for a gathering of old friends. We all had a meal at the Penang Club,” Kew San, 85, recalled.
“I had coached him before. He looked a bit on the fat side but you don’t underestimate his badminton strength and skills.
“In recent years, I knew he was taking some Chinese medicine and practising meditation and joga. And he ate only vegetables and fruits.”
One unforgettable incident Kew San said was when they were representing Penang in the Foong Seong Cup inter-state badminton tournament in Pahang.
Along the way back to KL, the victorious Penang team had to make a stop because one of the team members was sick. When they resumed the journey, the team forgot about the trophy which they left by the roadside.
But luckily, someone found it and sent it to the Penang team which was then staying at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
Former BAM president Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff paid tribute to Aik Mong as a “rare” person.
“He was a simple man. No airs and very helpful to any badminton player. He knew the foundation of badminton very, very well. I was playing with him and his brother Aik Huang as a University Malaya badminton player. He was single minded and a no nonsence person during practices,” Tengku Mahaleel said.
“He helped me when I was president of BAM in coaching. He also came to help Kelantan Badminton Association and he was not there for money but for the love of the game. All he wanted was to produce more good players.”
Former Thomas Cupper James Selvaraj, who was a teammate of Aik Mong when they represented Malaysia in the 1965 Asian schools championships in Sri Lanka, concurred with Tengku Mahaleel about Aik Mong’s single-mindedness.
“He is a good friend. We belonged to the same chat group of former national players. Once or twice in a year, the group members would meet up.
“He believed what he said. He was very principled, straight forward but a friendly person,” James said.
One of Malaysia’s greatest doubles player, Datuk Tan Yee Khan, was also saddened over Aik Mong’s death.
“He was my junior. I run a hotel in Pangkor Island and Aik Mong used to visit me. We would chat about the good old days. Coincidentally, both of us also love golf besides badminton. Players of our time used to sacrifice a lot for the state and country,” Yee Khan said.
Story by K.H. Ong