“Health wise not so good. Still hanging on. Thank you for your kind concerns. All the best to you and your beloved family always.”
That was Datuk Sieh Kok Chi’s last message to me on July 8.
The plan was to visit him over that weekend. Visits to Sieh’s home in Jalan Ampang were always a good opportunity for me to catch up with the nation’s sports mentor, while junior loves it because he can run wild in the compound.
The same was supposed to have happened over the last weekend, but it was not meant to be.
Sieh passed away on July 16. He was 83.
He had been in a long battle with fibrosis, which left him frail in recent years, and he avoided talking much. During the last few weeks, he preferred WhatsApp conversations over the phone instead, as his cough and shortness of breath often got in the way.
During a previous visit, he shared that he was still grieving over the death of his daughter, Sieh Shen-Nern, who passed away last October at the age of 47. He also spoke about how lonely life was, as most of his friends were no longer around.
He shared how his son and daughter-in-law, based abroad, were in Kuala Lumpur for five days in late February.
Sieh led a humble life. While his home was located on prime real estate, entering his house, one got the sense that Sieh was all about history and having both feet planted firmly on the ground. Pictures of his parents and siblings adorn the walls.
“My parents sold bags in Petaling Street and they saved up enough money to buy this house,” Sieh shared, during one of our visits.
Despite humble beginnings, sheer perseverance, grit and determination ran in the family’s DNA, as Sieh and his siblings went on to pursue their dreams. Sieh obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering in 1963 from Universiti Malaya and became an engineer with the Department of Irrigation. He also donned the national colours in water polo.
In 1974, he volunteered with the Olympic Council of Malaysia. There was no turning back. He graduated and eventually became one of the council’s staunchest defenders.
He devoted his career to OCM – without any remuneration – throughout his tenure as honorary secretary from 1992 to 2013, secretary-general (2013-2015) and assistant secretary general (2015-2018). For him, an official serving sports should never be about money. It should be about passion. He was a firm believer of volunteerism, although many, in this day and age, would argue against such a mindset. But he stood by his principles.
He stood by those he believed in and never backed down. There were those who weren’t fans of his. Others welcomed his candidness like a breath of fresh air.
Sieh was a reporters’ delight, as he was never afraid of speaking his mind – a trait that is anathema among today’s diplomatic, play-it-safe sports officials.
Sieh was a walking encyclopaedia of Malaysian sports. He made it a point to document his thoughts and send them to select individuals – yours truly included – in anticipation of some response. He was slighted by those who didn’t take the effort to read his writings. It was Sieh’s way of sharing knowledge.
Sieh was the best go-to person when it came to Malaysian sports, and policies related to sports. He knew issues like the back of his hand, and had solutions at his fingertips. He had the experience to back it up and was a fiery administrator. He was a respected mentor to many.
In March, he was named ‘Tokoh Sukan’ at the National Sports Awards ceremony. I congratulated him. Sieh replied: “Dear Haresh Deol, thank you very much for your kind wishes. The Award, for me, represents all the contributions and sacrifices by our National athletes, coaches, and officials, in raising the standard of sports of our beloved Malaysia over the years. Thank you once again.”
That’s Sieh. Always the humble man. Never one to brag about his remarkable achievements.
My only issue with Sieh, something which he knows, is that he did not groom anyone to fill his big shoes. When he left OCM, the void was evident.
With his passing, the familiar voice that injected sensible ideas and solutions into the local sports scene is gone.
There will never be another Sieh Kok Chi. You have served your country and family well, sir.
I will miss our conversations. I will miss your writings.
Rest in peace.
Sieh’s wake will be held at:
Nirvana Centre Kuala Lumpur (Nirvana 2)
Address: No. 16, Jalan Dewan Bahasa, Bukit Seputeh, 50460 Kuala Lumpur (https://waze.com/ul/hw283f3fm6)
Parlour: Amber Suite, Level M2, Room N12
Date/Time: Tomorrow (July 20) 12pm – 10pm; Thursday (July 21) 12pm – 10pm.
Funeral service will be held on Friday (July 22) at 10am. The cortège will then leave for the Nirvana Crematorium Shah Alam.
