Late national hockey player's father had also died in road accident

Tan Kuai Neo, 64, said she was shocked to hear that Boon Huat had died in a road accident.

"His girlfriend informed me by telephone at 4 am," a weeping Tan told reporters at the mortuary of the Universiti Malaysia Medical Centre (UMMC), here.

She recalled that her husband had died in Melaka following an accident involving his motorcycle and a car.

Boon Huat, 33, was killed after the Proton Perdana car he was driving collided with a water tanker along the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP) near the Kelana Jaya LRT station at 2.25 am.

Tan and other family members rushed to Kuala Lumpur upon hearing the news and arrived here at 6 am. Tan described Boon Huat, the youngest of four siblings - the others being a brother and two sisters, as an individual who was obedient and cheerful and who loved to talk.

Hockey was his life as he took a keen interest in the game when he was in school and had represented Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Hilir, Melaka, when he was in Standard Four and had later played for Melaka High School, she said.

"The last time I saw him was at the end of June, when he was free as there were no matches," she said. Tan said Boon Huat would be cremated on Monday in Semabok, Melaka.

Boon Huat's elder brother, Aliff Nor Najmi Chua, 42, said his brother became interested in hockey in primary school after he had introduced the game to him.

The former national rugby player (1998-2004) said the last time he met Boon Huat was in the middle of June when he had returned to their home in Melaka.

"My brother always worked hard and was most committed to any job assigned to him," he told reporters, his voice choking with emotion.