MALAYSIAN HOT SPRING, SETAPAK AND MALAY MAIL FC CONNECTION SPURTS IN ILOILO CITY, PHILIPPINES

THE MALAYSIAN-PHILIPPINES CONNECTION AT MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES

By Tony Mariadass

Miss Universe Philippines 2021 candidate, Kheshapornam Ramachandran, who emerged Miss Iloilo/Miss Universe Philippines contest recently, is half Filipina-half Malaysian/Indian Ilongga (local Iiloilo people known as) origin.

Kheshapornam, 20, was born in Malaysia – Hot Springs, Setapak – to former Kuala Lumpur football player R. Ramachandran and his Filipina wife, Rachel Empedrad.

They were married in 1992 in Kuala Lumpur and have three children. Kheshapornam is the youngest, who went to live with her grandmother in Iloilo when she was six.

 

She has two older brothers – Rama 30 (who is a Police Officer in Iloilo) and Dinesh, 28 (who is in Malaysia and played – leftback - for Selangor U-21 team from 2007 – 2010 before an ACL injury derailed him).

Ramachandran, a City Hall enforcement officer, sadly passed away in 2006 from complications resulting after contacting chicken pox.

 

Ramachandran met his wife, also known as Michelle, when the Kuala Lumpur Malay Mail FC team was invited to play in the inaugural President’s Cup in Iloilo City in 1991.

Ramachandran squatting first from left with the KL Malay Mail FC team for the inaugural President's Cup in Iloilo, Philippines.

KLMM FC who had emerged the Kuala Lumpur FA Dunhill League champions defeating a star-studded City Hall FC, were rewarded by FA of Malaysia to play in the President’s Cup – thanks to then FAM general secretary, the late Datuk Paul Mony Samuel.

 KLMM FC had five invitation players from the KL Semi-Pro team which included Ramachandran who travelled to Iloilo and emerged runners-up to the Chinese Taipei national team losing in penalty shootout after the game ended in a deadlock.

 The other guest players from the KL team included were Nazim Din, late Tommy Chong Kok Min, Badrul Isham Jalil and Badrulsham Ahmad.

Ramachandran first from left with the Kuala Lumpur team

 It was then KLMM FC player, A. Gunasegeran who met Michelle at a shopping complex and invited her to the final with her friends.

 Later, she was invited for dinner with some of the KLMM FC players by Guna and that was where she met Ramachandran and their friendship blossomed to love and marriage.

 “I first saw Rama at the game, and he was so shinny. But I got to meet him at the dinner, and he was a shy person. He asked for my phone number, and we kept in touch,” revealed Michelle how she met her husband.

 After Philippines’ successful stint at Miss Universe 2020 with Rabiya Mateo, the Miss Universe Philippines organisation is all set to appoint its new queen to represent the country at the upcoming 70th Miss Universe to be held in Costa Rica later this year.

 Among the many names coming up for Philippine Miss Universe, is Kheshapornam.

Among her feats include winning one of the crowns for runners-up during Mutya Ng Pilipinas Gold. She was also declared ‘Best in Swimwear’ and ‘Best in Evening Gown.’

She also won the right to represent the country in Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International in 2018. It was supposed to happen during the last quarter of 2018 or early 2019. Sadly, the organisers scrapped the staging of the international contest and Kheshapornam was left with no choice but to accept the fate of having an aborted pageant mission.

The athletic Keshapornam stands 175cm tall and is an avid basketballer, model, beauty queen and student leader from Iloilo National High School. She was supposed to have graduated from the Asian College of Aeronautics this June, where she is studying aeronautics engineering, but had to be postponed as her practical at the Manila International Airport has been deferred because of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Keshapornam with her mother and brother Rama

 Keshapornam in Malaysia during her visit recently

Aside from her physical prowess and interest in sports, she possesses an inner radiance of a sweet and passionate Ilongga, a great potential that allowed her to successfully achieve various beauty titles in her young age. She aspires to become a successful beauty queen and joining the national pageant is one step in achieving that dream.

Kheshapornam believes that physical beauty fades, but a good character remain with us including our virtues and positive perspective in life. A beautiful heart can touch lives and inspire people around us.

In an interview in Philippines recently she had said that the most important reasons for her to live a meaningful life is, “to live a life of virtues and sincerity. For me, living a meaningful life means being kind, generous and always willing to help other people in simple ways.”

“I engage myself in sports because I am a wellness advocate, I prioritize my studies since this is my pathway to a better future, and I work hard to become a beauty queen because I want to use this as a platform to inspire young people, to show them that great dreams are meant to be fulfilled when we have the heart to do something about it,” she added.

 

Her mother here in Malaysia, who is working as a nurse at a private clinic is so proud of her daughter and hopes she realises her dream.

“I sent her back to be brought up my mother in Iloilo when she was six as she was a girl and difficult for me to manage after my husband passed away so suddenly,” said Michelle when contacted.

“I am immensely proud of her achievement so far both academically and her pageant pursue. She intends to join the Philippines Air Force when she graduates. My older son, Rama, is a police officer in Iloilo, while my second son is here with me in Malaysia.

“It has been tough bringing up the children as a single parent and had to work hard to earn money for their education,” said Michelle worked as a cashier in a local pub called Online for six years before becoming a nurse.

“My brother-in-law, Subramaniam, had been supportive until he retired recently, and I had to work doubly hard to make end meet.”

 

 Rama's brother Subramaniam former national player from Selangor standing fourth from right

Asked if she plans to go to the International Miss Universe Philippines qualifying contest later this year when it permits, she said: “No, I can’t stand the pressure and I don’t want to pressure on my daughter too.

“The last time I watched her in a local contest online and I was so tensed, that I decided I will never watch. I wish her the best, my prayers for her always with her and to enjoy the moment,” said Michelle who las saw her daughter before the Covid pandemic.

“I plan to visit Iloilo again when it permits as I miss my two children and my family. I always return annually.”

Dinesh too said he was proud of his sister and if possible, want to be in Manila to lend her moral support.

“I am looking forward to meeting my baby sister soon as I miss her and my brother and also want to lend her support for the contest,” said Dinesh.

 

Dinesh front first left with local team Hotspurs FC

Indeed, Kheshapornam’s family, the people of Iloilo and the community of Hot Springs in Setapak, the KLMM FC team members and even Malaysians will be rooting for her as she is of Philippines-Malaysian blood.

All the absolute best Kheshapornam!

A TRIBUTE TO MY FATHER

HONOURING MY FATHER

It is ‘Father’s Day’ next Sunday, and I felt compelled to write this piece to honour my father who had passed away fourteen years ago at the age of 84.

For the life of me recalling my growing years, I really do not know how my father Mariadass John managed to provide a roof over us and food on the table despite all the hardship he had to face.

Probably it was manageable when I was the only child for the first six years, but after that he had to provide for four others.

MY FIRST BIRTHDAY AT MERDEKA STADIUM RESTAURAN\T

My father was not born with a silver spoon in the mouth and was just a caterer and cook, who managed guest houses for corporate companies and personalities.

Looking back, I cannot imagine that for the first 30 years of my life, we had stayed in 18 places in Kuala Lumpur when we had to move to stay in quarters provided for each time my father had to start a new job after his previous contract ended or the guest house closed.

There were also times in between jobs we stayed in one-bedroom flats or even a rented room in a house where we all stayed in the room and my mother did the daily cooking in the corridors!

Occasionally in a rented home with two or three bedrooms but it was short lived as the rent was high and we had to move.

During times when my father was out of a job for a few months, I remember how my mother and I would travel to my uncle’s home in Tampin, where my grandmother would purchase groceries for us to take back for our food for a few weeks.

My father’s salary was not big, varying anything between RM300 to RM1.000 in the later years, and my mother assisted him by preparing the European meals for the guests at the guest houses he worked.

Yes, many had moved houses with their parents as their uniformed fathers were transferred, but had transportation provided.

I still remember my father having to hire lorries to transport our things from one home to another and had to borrow to pay for the rental of lorries.

Probably the only luxury I and my brothers and sister had during the earlier years was that we lived in Kenny Hills (now Bukit Tunku), in quarters provided sometimes two room quarters but mostly single rooms.

Just to name some of the places I had stayed with my family in Bukit Tunku area include:

·       Jalan Mercu (six years – quarters at TNB House)

·       Lorong Maxwell (three years – quarters at a horse trainer’s flat when KL races)

·       Jalan Dalaman Tunku (2 years – one room quarters - Barlays Bank)

·       Taman Duta (3 years – two room quarters - Barclays Bank)

·       Bukit Gulliemard (2 years – two room quarters - Ford)

·       Jalan Maxwell (2 years – one room quarters – Alfa Laval company)

·       Jalan Tugu (1 year rented house)

·       Other places we had to move and stay:

·       Jalan Broadrick (rented flat)

·       Jalan Tiong Nam (rented room in a house)

·       Lorong Kasipillai (rented house)

·       Sentul (rented room in a flat)

S   Selayang Baru (rented house for one year)

      Jalan Parry – 2 years - one room quarters (late Tunku Abdullah Residence)

·       St John’s Bukit Nenas - two room quarters (Brothers’ Residence– 2 years)

·       Jalan Weld (shared a room at my uncle’s working place quarters (six months)

·       Jalan U Thant – two room quarters (3 years NBT Guest House)

·       Persiaran Hampshire – two room quarters (2 years – Austrian Trade Commission)

·       Lorong Jugra, Old Klang Road (rented house – 3 years)

·       Jalan Meru, Old Klang Road  (finally bought a home and staying for the last 30 years.)

It has indeed been a roller-coaster life and it has taught me to appreciate sufferings, be humble, work hard to achieve anything and appreciate life no matter its ups and downs.

But looking back now, I cannot imagine what my father had to go through in brining all of us up, giving us the education and putting a roof above us and food on our table.

My father could have lived more comfortably and been someone, but he had spent his whole life providing for his immediate family and then us.

Born in Johor, to Murugasu John Pillai and Theresa, my father spent his early days in India, when my grandfather decided to send my father and his elder brother (Anthony) to India to be brought up by my grandfather’s parents because of financial difficulties in Malaya.

While my grandfather and mother returned to Malaya, my father and his brother got their early education in India.

Later my father was joined by three more of his siblings born in Malaya and my grandmother stayed back in India to look after the five children and working at the St Thomas Mount Convent to earn some money.

My father had a good voice and was noticed by some musicians who were involved in drama productions and was offered to join them.

But my grandfather did not give permission and brought all of them back to Malaya and moved to Taiping where my grandfather was working.

Initially, he continued his studies at King Edward School but was later put in an Orphan School when my grandfather lost his job and could not afford the $2.50 per month schools fees then.

He did well in school and studied to become a teacher at Beruas, Perak.

Grandfather moved again to Kuala Kangsar and my father was asked to resign his teacher’s job.

Father to earn some pocket money was a part time caddy at the Golf Club near the Palace in Kuala Kangsar.

Then during the Japanese Occupation, Netaji Chandra Bose came to Malaya and started the Netaji Army known as INA and Netaji joined forces with the Japanese Army and my father who learnt to speak Japanese and Hindi, worked as an interpreter.

My father earned a promotion as a sergeant and was asked to go to Singapore on assignment by rail but got off in Seremban when he found out that the Japanese had arrested his parents and sister’s family in Port Dickson.

He managed to get them released but his brother who fell ill passed away later in Tampin.

Disillusioned he left the family and headed to Kuala Lumpur and found job and got married to my mother Rosemary in 1957. But he continued to help his family wherever he could.

His younger brothers, Lawrence Loganathan and Chandra did well to get a scholarship to attend teachers’ training in Kirby in 1959.

FAMILY PHOTO TAKEN IN 1960

Never realising his dreams or true potential, he had spent his life for others.

For me, it has not been a bed of roses either.

I had to work hard, start work immediately after my Form Five, and later joining New Straits Times as a temporary clerk in the library in 1977 – thanks to my uncle LL John Pillai who was the NSTP Sports Club chairman and asked if I was keen to play football for the company and offered the temporary job.

I continued to do my Form Six through Further Education Classes (night classes at St John’s) while working at NST Library and stayed stringer for the Malay Mail Sports Desk at the end of 1977.

Finally joined as a fulltime sportswriter in 1981 but having to make a sacrifice of taking a RM250 pay cut for two years – no thanks to an editor in the interview panel who told me to take it or leave it.

I loved my job and worked my way up to become a sports editor after 27 years.

Left in 2006 after 29 years, but with a final salary of slightly over RM4,000.00!

Was a special media officer for a sports minister for four years, wrote again and returned to Malay Mail for a short stint again and continued to do media work.

But times are bad with the Covid 19 the last one and half years with no jobs and even having to close my 11 years office at Olympic Council of Malaysia but will carry on hoping things will take a turn.

It has not been a rosy road, but I cherish every moment and thank all those who have been there to support me.

But it is my belief that no one owes you anything. If someone comes along and helps you in your time of need, be grateful.

And have been a few whom I am eternally indebted to.

But many had spread malicious rumours about me and even my father (I will not go into details) but I know my conscience is clear and worked hard and honestly for my living.

I am blessed with two great children – my son who is a lawyer and daughter who is a chartered accountant – and I am glad they did not have to go through what my father or I had to.

I have lost my mother in 1997 and my brother, Jeyaprakash (motorcycle accident in 1993).

My youngest brother, Jesu Adam and sister Kasthury are in Kuala Lumpur, while my other brother Johan Jothi resides in Oman with his family.

I miss my father and wish I could have told him what he meant to me and how much I appreciate his sacrifices when he was alive.

So, for those of you who are lucky to have your parents alive, tell them how much you appreciate them and take care of them.

Afterall, they took care of you to become what you are today. Never neglect them and regret it later.

Happy Father’s Day.

 

21 YEARS 'FIRST RUGBY STADIUM' WOES

By Tony Mariadass

The state of Malaysian sports can best be summed with the ‘first rugby stadium’ in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, promised in February, 2010, by then Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek who revealed there were plans to build a RM35 million rugby stadium, has still to become a reality.

The Sabah Sukma Stadium when work was about to begin two years ago

Now locked and abandoned

Present state and abandoned

Ten years later in 2019, after change of two sports ministers, the stadium was in construction after a RM10 million was released by the Federal Government.

And now 11 years later (2021), after change of Federal government a few times, the site at Padang Rugby Sukma Likas Sports Complex, 2 ½ Mile Tuaran Road in Kota Kinabalu, is a sore sight and an abandoned project after a promise to build the Stadium was made!

In 2015, then Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, had even dropped by at the site to show his support for the stadium.

Meanwhile in March 2019, another then Sports Minister Sport Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman came out to say the government has agreed to build a dedicated rugby stadium, this time, initially, the stadium planned to be built in Putrajaya but it was then changed to the Kuala Lumpur Sports City (KLSC) in Bukit Jalil. However, it was moved back to Putrajaya.

“After years of delay in regard to building a national rugby stadium, the government has finally agreed to approve an allocation of RM17 million to the Sports Ministry for this cause," Syed Saddiq has said in a media statement then.

"The stadium will be built in Precint 14, Putrajaya on 16 acres (of land). Physical work at the site is expected to begin in November.

"This allocation will cover the construction of two rugby fields, built in accordance with tournament specifications, with floodlights rated at 1,200 lux, changing room and other facilities.”

To top it all it was hailed as the “first rugby stadium” in the country! What happened to the Stadium in rugby where work had begun in 2010?

Has the Malaysia Rugby (MR) got their stadium in Putra Jaya? Abandoned too?

As for the Stadium in Kota Kinabalu, a source in Sabah said that the site belongs to the Sabah Sports Board, but funding for the building of the Stadium is from the Federal government.

“While an initial funding of RM10 million was given and work started but all that has stopped. Work has stopped at the stadium and the contractor terminated.

“Need to check with the current sports minister on the status,” the source said.