KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah described the late Chua Boon Huat as the livewire and the nucleus of the National hockey team.
Boon Huat is the most experienced, most senior and most capped player in the country and known for his dedication, commitment and inspiration to the team.
“We hope his grieving family can accept his demise and the country remembers his contributions and sacrifice. The players in the National squad will certainly continue their preparation for the Asia Cup in memory of Boon Huat,” he told reporters at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), here, yesterday.
Boon Huat, 33, the livewire of the National men’s hockey team, was killed in an accident along the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) at about 3am yesterday when his Proton Perdana V6 car collided with a tanker near the Kelana Jaya LRT Station.
The Melaka-born Boon Huat died at the spot due to severe head injuries while his body was later brought to the UMMC for post-mortem.
Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin who also shared Tengku Abdullah’s sentiments said Boon Huat was a shining star in the national hockey scene who has vastly contributed to the sport.
“Today we lost a great hockey player who was a role model on and off the pitch. He was an inspiration to young players and a role model to others. His sacrifices and contributions will be appreciated and remembered forever,” he said.
National Sports Council director-general Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong said the late Boon Huat’s family would receive RM102,000 from the group insurance scheme.
Meanwhile, Olympic Council of Malaysia honorary secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi advised national athletes to avoid late nights so as to prevent similar tragedies like what had happened to Chua Boon Huat.
“It is true that we cannot predict accidents but we can avoid similar incidents by not driving during late nights,” he said yesterday.
Kok Chi said in 1988, football icon Datuk R. Arumugam, probably the country’s greatest goalkeeper who was also known as ‘Spiderman’ for his exploits, was also killed in an accident while driving home late night.
“Boon Huat’s death is a great loss to hockey because he had still much to offer to the game. His return to the national squad after a short break had indeed given the sport of hockey a new lease of life,” he said. — Bernama