Late Choon Wah cremated

The late football legend Wong Choon Wah was cremated at the Cheras Crematorium here, Monday. The prominent footballer of the 70's had died of heart failure last Friday, on the first day of Chinese New Year. He was 67. Earlier, Wong's widow, Lee Nyok Ching, 63, their twin daughters Julia Wong Fai Mei and Samantha Wong Fai Lai, 36, another daughter, Jazz Wong Fai Siang, 32, and relatives and close friends performed the religious rites at a funeral parlour in Sungai Besi. Among those who paid their last respects were former footballers Datuk Soh Chin Aun and N. Thanabalan as well as former secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Datuk Peter Velappan. Julia said her father was a tough footballer but he was an open, understanding and caring individual. "My father was an individual who was calm and open. Although he was a man of few words, he was approachable and had many friends," she told Bernama. "The last time I was with my father was just before the Chinese New Year. It was the first time that I saw him smartly dressed to attend a wedding," Julia said. Velappan described the late Choon Wah as a highly disciplined footballer and who never complained. "Choon Wah was not only a talented player but was also hardworking. He would be present at the field as early as 6 am for training. "Players in those days trained four times a day and never complained. Choon Wah was among the players who gave their 100 per cent on the field," said Velappan, who is a former secretary of the Football Association of Malaysia.