Heroes never die, they become legends.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s former badminton star Datuk Punch Gunalan died at Subang Jaya Medical Centre, near here yesterday morning after a bout of illness at age 68.
The passing of national badminton ace has touched the hearts of a national leader, a badminton official and his protege. Describing him as a national hero, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Gunalan should be remembered as a legend as he had brought glory to the nation.
“Heroes never die, they become legends,” he said via twitter.
National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong said Gunalan contributed greatly to the country. Expressing his condolences to the decease’s family, he said after retiring as a player in 1975, Gunalan became a national coach, and honorary general-secretary and president of the International Badminton Federation from 2004 to 2008.
Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh said Gunalan made a dynamic contribution to national badminton by providing ideas on how to improve the team performance.
“I knew the deceased when he was a BAM council member and asked me to contest the presidency in 2001, but I refused. However, he still wanted me to vie for the position,” he said.
National singles chief coach Razif Sidek, who described his relationship with Gunalan as close as two brothers can be, said Gunalan had always been a person he wanted to emulate.
“He was a friendly, kind and cheerful person. He always had brilliant ideas,” said Razif, who was the captain of the badminton squad who lifted the Thomas Cup in 1992.
Gunalan was the coach of the Thomas Cup squad as well the national squad who won a bronze at the Barcelona Olympics earlier the same year.