King, Queen extend condolences to families of two former national athletes

KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, have expressed their condolences to the families of the two former female athletes who died yesterday.

They were former national women's football player Kasmah Darus and former martial arts athlete Zaleha Suradi.

Their Majesties expressed sadness over the demise of Kasmah and Zaleha, and hoped that their families could be patient and resilient in facing the bereavement.

"Their Majesties greatly appreciate their devotion, service and sacrifice to the country and pray that their souls are blessed by Allah and placed among the righteous," according to a statement from Istana Negara posted on Facebook, today.

Kasmah, 63, was known as the right winger of the national women's football team during the 70s and 80s, especially in the Tun Sharifah Rodziah Cup, Malaysia's only women's football competition.

Kasmah also represented the country at the Third AFC Women's Championship in Calicut, Kerala, India in 1980.

Meanwhile, Zaleha, who was dubbed 'double international' for representing the country in two sports, namely football and silat, once wore the jersey of the national women's football squad at the 1986 AFC Women's Championship in Hong Kong.

She was also the runner-up in class E (65 kg) of the World Silat Championship in the Netherlands in 1990 and took home two bronze medals at the 1982 World Silat Championship in Jakarta and 1987 in Kuala Lumpur.

-- BERNAMA