Cancer-stricken former Mr Asia fights on

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File photo of Solomon with a picture of him winning Mr Asia 1969.

Wee greets Solomon and Fatimah at their residence in Petra Jaya.

KUCHING: Former bodybuilder Solomon Esmanto was all smiles when Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) member Dato Wee Hong Seng visited him recently.

Assisted by his wife Fatimah Jalil, he slowly walked out of his room to shake hands with his guest.

“Thank you for coming. I’m really sorry, sir – I cannot see or hear you. Forgive me if I address you wrongly,” he said once he settled in, the smile never leaving his face.

The 74-year-old former Asian bodybuilding champion was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2014 after he went to Sarawak General Hospital to seek treatment for asthma.

Chemotherapy was then prescribed, which he underwent once a fortnight.

“He decided early this year that enough was enough – no more chemotherapy after that.

“However, he still goes to the hospital once a month for follow-up treatment,” Fatimah told Wee, who is also Sarawak Bodybuilding Association (SBBA) president.

“It breaks my heart to see him in this condition,” said Wee.

“This is a man who paved the way for many Sarawakian bodybuilders, one who has worked hard for his family and also for the sport.

“Some of today’s young bodybuilders may not know who he is, but for those from the ‘old school’, he is truly a legend alongside Bujang Taha.”

Wee later handed over some donations from SBBA and other individuals to Solomon.

“I assure him and his family that I would do my best to help. In this regard, I also appeal to other sports associations to always honour these former athletes not only through awards and certificates, but also through provision of assistance – both from the bodies themselves and also through collaborations with the relevant authorities, corporate sector or NGOs (non-governmental organisations).”

According to Wee, this is in line with the call made by Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

At the opening of Mr Sarawak championships in Miri on April 30 this year, Abdul Karim called upon all sports associations in the state to keep and update the databank on former athletes of their respective sports, as well as to identify those in dire need of help.

“It is only right for sports bodies like the SBBA to heed this call. We are open to requests for help – in fact, we highly encourage it. Looking ahead, we plan to visit two veteran members of Sarawak bodybuilding fraternity – one in Kuching and another in Lundu – in early 2018,” said Wee.

Kuching-born Solomon, whose birth name is Suratinan Tamin, entered bodybuilding in early 1960s while still a student at St Thomas’ School. His first major win was at Mr Hercules 1963 in Kuching. It was also in this competition that he first used the stage name ‘Solomon Esmanto’.

He served the Prisons Department from Sept 1, 1964 until his retirement as a sub-inspector on Aug 1, 1998.

The muscleman won numerous local, national and international titles until the late 1970s.

His crowning achievement, however, was winning the overall championship title at Mr Asia 1969 held in Colombo, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) – the first Sarawakian to do so.

In 1971, he became the first recipient of the ‘Sportsman of the Year’ award from Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS).

Soloman was also honoured with several state and federal awards – Ahli Bintang Negeri Sarawak (ABS) in 1972, Pingat Pangkuan Negara (PPN) in 1973, Pingat Perkhidmatan Setia (PPS) in 1987 and Ahli Mangku Negara (AMN) in 2000.

Only two Sarawakians have been Mr Asia champions since – Bujang Taha who bagged the title twice in 1980 and 1981 and Liaw Teck Leong in 2000.

Bujang passed away in Oct 2014 after experiencing complications from acute asthma attack at the age of 77.

Liaw, 51, is currently residing in Kuala Lumpur.