Olympician cyclist NA Rosli passes away this morning

Former Olympian cyclist NA Rosli passed away this morning after being involved in a motorcycle accident he was riding on. Deepest condolence to his family. Below is an Icon story done on him on June 14, 2014 in the Malay Mail.

ICONS FROM THE PAST
ROSLI ABDUL KADIR

Famed cyclist Rosli washes cars in his ageing years
By TONY MARIADASS
tmariadass@gmail.com

IN the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame and Malaysian cycling annals, he is considered a hero and icon.
But in real life, Rosli Abdul Kadir, who turns 75 on June 21 and should be spending time leisurely enjoying the fruits of his labour, is still washing cars to earn his pocket money.
The father of eight children and 23 grandchildren, was a member of the gold medal winning team on grass at Merdeka Stadium in the 1963 Asian Championship.
A double international having represented the nation in Big Walk too, Rosli having made his debut at the 1962 Asian Games in 1962 in Jakarta, retired in 1973 after many medals and honours.
In Big Walk he had competed in the 1973 Sea Games where he finished fourth besides winning numerous walking meets in the region including The Malay Mail Big Walk where he had won the junior veterans category thrice in-a-row to keep the challenge trophy.
But the accolades and honours earned as a cyclist, was not good enough to find him a decent job to bring up his family.
Rosli had to work as a driver, odd-job worker on contract and gardener, before he decided to try his hands at car washing.
It all started about 30 years ago when he managed to get CIMB in Damansara to allow him to wash their employees’ cars in their premises.
Three months ago, he moved to the CIMB Sentral office when the Group Administration and Property manager, Mohd Khairizal Mohd Khalib, allowed Rosli to continue to wash cars at their new premises.

Armed with motorcycle which has a specially fitted carrier to carry two pails of water he goes up and down the car park washing his regular clients’ cars three times a week.
He charges RM50 a month for monthly clients and RM 5 for random clients a wash.
“I have about 40 regular clients and together with random clients, I can earn about RM1,000 a month which is suffice for me survive,” said Rosli whose wife passed away last year and stays with his youngest one son in a low-cost rental at which he pays RM124 per month.

“I am very grateful to Encik Khairizal for giving permission to operate in their premises. He is an ardent sports fan and took pity on me and allowed me to earn my living washing cars at the bank’s premises.
“I have been doing this for more than 30 years and I am not ashamed of it because I am earning an honest living and working hard for it,” said Rosli who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year.
Rosli said that he does get assistance from The National Athletes Welfare Foundation (YAKEB) where his medical bills are taken care off.
“I am grateful to YAKEB too for assisting me and many other past athletes with our medication bills. We have a medical card given by YAKEB and use it to get our monthly medical supply.
“Otherwise, I do not get any form of assistance in cash or kind. Not that I am complaining, but it would have been nice to be remembered for our services rendered to the nation and in our old age to get some form of recognition in form financial assistance like pension.”
When YAKEB launched their 1Ringgit 1Malaysia campaign in 2009, they had presented Rosli RM2,000 and a bag of rice to Rosli and his family.

“But thank god that I can still work, and can earn some pocket money washing cars. I use the money for my daily expenses, buys some gifts for my grandchildren when I can and save some just in case there comes a day I cannot come to work.
Rosli, who hails from Bunut Payong in Kota Baru, Kelantan, said he came to the city in the 60s to attend the trials for the Asian Games cycling for three days and on a hired bicycle.
“It was the passion to represent the nation and do honours which saw him leave home and I have no regrets despite my current position. I enjoyed every minute of the eleven years.
“And to see my two sons – Nor Effandy and Noor Azahar – take up my footsteps and don national colours was a proud moment for me.
“At least they are better off, as in their era there were efforts to take of employment for athletes. Nor Effandy under former KL mayor Tan Sri Elyas Omar got a job as an enforcement officer with City Hall.”
Rosli said that sports will be benefit from officials who are truly passionate about it and have the welfare of athletes at heart.
“Elyas was truly an exemplary sport official who has done a great deal for Malaysian sports.
“But more often than not officials are there for their own benefits and athletes are often neglected.”
However, Rosli said that athletes these days have it good and should be performing much better in the world arena.
He suggested that athletes in all sports should be more exposed to overseas training methods and more importantly competed in top level competitions and regularly.
“The only way for Malaysian sports to rise is to compete against the best regularly,” said Rosli.

ACHIEVEMENTS:
1962 – Bronze medal in team 100km Asian Games Jakarta
1963 – Represented nation at the Commonwealth Games in Australia
1963 – Gold medal in 100km team and bronze in 200km team event at the Asian Championship in Kuala Lumpur.
1964 – Olympic Games in Tokyo
1966 – Asian Games in Bangkok
1967 Silver medal in SEAP Games in Kuala Lumpur
1969 SEAP Games in Bangkok
1970 – Bronze medal at the 200km Asean Cycling Championship, Singapore
1971 – Silver medal at SEAP Games in Kuala Lumpur
1973 – Fourth in 20km Big Walk at Singapore Sea Games

Devoted, Dedicated, Darshan

ICON: TAN SRI G. DARSHAN SINGH

By Tony Mariadass

Tan Sri Darshan Singh Gill is a living of example of where passion can take one to great heights.

As a young man, it was by chance that Darshan got involved with cycling.

“Close to my home in Silibin Road, cycling races were held and I used to go and watch. I got interested and volunteered to help in the organisation of the race. This was in the early days of 1970s before I left for London to do my law,” recalled the 67 year-old Darshan.

“At school (Anglo Chinese School –ACS) was active in sports but only represented by class and house in sports.

“But it was cycling which fascinated me and soon I become a member of the Perak Cycling Association,” said he only road the normal bicycle and never was a racing cyclist.

“I was in London from 1971 to 1975 and graduated from the University of London, King’s College with a degree in law and also completed my bar at Lincoln’s Inn at the age of 28. When I returned home, I was asked to become the president of Perak Cycling Association in 1976,” recalled Darshan who is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).

“I had to thank my elder brother, Gurbax Singh for paving the way for me to do law. My father, a temple priest, could only afford to send one of us to further our studies and my brother decided that it was I that should go.”

Darshan on assuming the president’s post started to revamp the association with his enthusiasm to put the association on the right path to progress.

He started organising numerous events and championships and the cycling quality of Perak cyclists improved.

But his most significant contribution was the building of the cycling velodrome called the Rakyat Velodrome in 1989.

“I virtually went begging door to door for funds to build the velodrome and must thank the many generous people. The late Sultan of Perak, Raja Azlan Shah played a key role and was instrumental in seeing the project become a reality.

“It was a tall order to see the project through when it was mooted in the 80s and the foundation stone was laid in December 1986 before it became a reality. We organised numerous fund raising events and the support from the raykat was tremendous. That is why we fitting decided to call it the Raykat’s Velodrome.”

The timber 250 metre track Velodrome was built at a cost of RM3.25 million was officially declared open by Sultan Azlan Shah who was the King at that time.

Darshan had brought the best to plan the Velodrome when he had brought in German architect Ralph Schumann to assist.

In 1989, the SEA Games was held in Malaysia and the track events were held in Ipoh where the national cyclists won four gold medals.

Sadly the velodrome which was the second in Asia then, has now deteriorated and begs to be repaired.

Darshan who was already a Council member Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) rom 1978, became president in1989 when he surprisingly defeated incumbent and popular Tan Sri Elyas Omar.

Darshan was president from 1989 to 1990 before for his services was named the Life president of MNCF.

As the Asian level, was in the executive board of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) in 1990 and in 1993 he elected as the secretary general. In 1996 before assuming the president’s post in 2001 – the body which regulates cycling in 40 countries in Asia - and held the post for nine years.

He was also the first Malaysian Member of the Board of the International Cycling Union International Cycling Union (UCI). 

The inaugural Tour Langkawi was also held in 1996 and Darshan played a led role.

He has brought numerous top level cycling events to Malaysia which include World Cycling championship B in1997, Asian Cycling Championship in 1993, Track World Cup in 2000 and 2001 and the Sultan Azlan Shah Track Asia Cup in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

Darshan was also involved in athletics and was the vice president of the then Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union for a term in the 80s.

In 2010, for all the contributions Darshan had given sports, he was inducted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame.

Darshan’s last involvement in cycling was when he relinquished the president’s post of the Perak Cycling Federation after 38 years in 2013 but still left behind a legacy when his son, Datuk Amarjit Singh has taken over the post.

Amarjit, a lawyer too, just like his father in both profession and contribution to sports, holds post as a Member of the Complaints and Anti-Doping Commission, International Skateboarding Federation (ISF), Vice President, Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) and Doping Control Officer, Cycling Anti Doping Foundation (CADF) 

Darshan’s other son, Malaysia’s Bhangra ambassador and Goldkartz singer Sukhjit Singh Gill is also a lawyer, becoming the fifth member of his family to turn lawyer in the very same courtroom of the Ipoh High Court.

His other son, Sukhjit’s fellow Goldkartz singer and his brother Manjit and only daughter Ranjit Kaur Gill are also lawyers.

Darshan’s wife, Puan Sri Suveeder Kaur is a housewife.

Darshan being the ever active person he is, he is now involved with extreme sports and is the vice-president of Asian Extreme Sports Federation (AXF), which is the governing body in Asia and also the vice-president of International Skateboarding Federation.

“I wanted to take a rest, but sports is in my blood and when members of the extreme sports who were cycling officials before approached me, I decided to assist,” said Darshan who was roped into the Malaysian Extreme Sports Association (MESA) ten years ago.

Asked if he had any disappointments in association with sports, he simply said: “Each came with its challenges, but I have managed to overcome them to make pleasant memories.

“The toughest challenge was the building of the velodrome and seeing it become a reality was the biggest satisfaction, especially so when it was the people who put it up.

“Having come this far from just being a volunteer for cycling is indeed been a journey I will always cherish.

“And I will continue to contribute to sports as long as my services are required and am physically able to do so.”

Darshan also holds numerous positions in the society and one of which is as the president of Malaysia National Sikhs Movement (GERAKSIKH) which is the national body which organises various public service activities.

Shah still on the cycle of life

Monday, June 30, 2014 - Malay Mail
 

SHAHARUDDIN JAFFAR, having spent a lifetime in cycling, intends to give it a final fl ing in the twilight of his years. Since starting as a schoolboy cyclist in the 1950s, he has achieved virtually everything the sport has to off er — as national coach, administrator, international commissaire, entrepreneur, event organiser and ambassador.
Cycling is Shaharuddin fi rst love. While many his age — he turns 74 on Octocber 20 — would rather take it easy, he still has the burning desire to give back to cycling.
“I have been hooked on the sport ever since I rode a normal bicycle and fi nished second in a seven-mile race in Sitiawan in 1958,” said Shaharuddin.
“Together with my wife, Hasmah Ibrahim, who is an ardent cycling supporter, we have been involved in the sport all our lives.

Shaharuddin feeding the ducks at his farm. — Pictures by Mohd Izzul Elyas

One that is still fresh in his mind is how he turned around Malaysia’s fortune in the sport with just RM44.60 in the coff ers of the then Malaysian Cycling Federation when he became the secretary in 1970.
“If there is a will, there is always a way. As long as one practises honesty, strict governance and hard work.
“More often than not, things do not go well because of poor preparations and officials who are not sincere in their undertakings,” said the retired sports offi cer with the Sports Ministry.
Shaharuddin related an incident to underline his passion for cycling.
“I had opened a bicycle shop in Shah Alam in 2007 as I wanted to be associated with cycling even after my retirement. Unfortunately, I had to go for my bypass and when I came out from my surgery, the first thing I asked my wife was whether the bicycle shop was doing well,” said Shaharuddin.
Hasmah said: “I thought he was crazy talking about the shop when his health was more important.
“But that is Shaharuddin for you. He puts the sport above everything else.” Shaharuddin, however, had to close the bicycle shop after two years as some people who were helping him were not honest and his business was in the red.
Today, the couple stays in Shah Alam while their three grown-up children stay with their own families.
“I managed to turn a small plot of unused land behind the house to farm vegetables,” said Shaharuddin as he proudly showed the fruits of his labour — banana, jackfruit and lime trees and vegetables.
But his pride is the 50 ducks he is rearing for eggs.
“When my wife fell ill (diagnosed with fourth stage cancer in 2011), I was told by the doctor that a place with serenity will be good therapy for her.
“I decided to set up this small gardening area and rear ducks. The first 30 ducklings we bought died, eaten by dogs or went missing.
We then bought another 30 of which half survived. Wiser from experience, we bought another 30 and now have about 50 full-grown ducks.”
Shaharuddin said he collects about 40 eggs daily which he sells for some extra income.
“It is not so much the income, but as a hobby and therapy for my wife. We spend at least two to three hours in the morning and evening at the pond,” said Shaharuddin.
And as the couple spends time by the pond, they cannot help thinking about how they can get back to the sport they love.

ROLL OF HONOUR
# National cyclist: 1957-1970
# Asian Games bronze medalist (team) 1962, Jakarta
# Bronze medalist Asia cycling championships, Kuala Lumpur 1963
# First gold and bronze medalist for cycling
 # Competed in: Commonwealth Games in Perth, 1962, SEAP Games and Asia cycling championships 1961.1969
# Olympic Games (Tokyo 1964) as cyclist and as team manager (1972 Munich)
# Qualified as the first Malaysian international cycling commissaire 1973 and officiated at meets from 1973 to 2006
# Malaysian Cycling Federation secretary: 1970.1988
# Coach of Selangor and national team: 1969-1984
# Inducted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame in 2007


ICONS FROM THE PAST
SATURDAY
JUNE 28, 2014  The Malay Mail



By TONY MARIADASS

SHAHARUDDIN JAFFAR, having spent a lifetime in cycling, intends to give it a final
fling in the twilight of his years.
Since starting as a schoolboy cyclist in the 1950s, he has achieved virtually everything
the sport has to offer — as national coach, administrator, international commissaire,
entrepreneur, event organiser and ambassador.
Cycling is Shaharuddin first love. While many his age — he turns 74 on October
20 — would rather take it easy, he still has the burning desire to give back to cycling.
“I have been hooked on the sport ever since I rode a normal bicycle and finished
second in a seven-mile race in Sitiawan in 1958,” said Shaharuddin.
“Together with my wife, Hasmah Ibrahim, who is an ardent cycling supporter, we
have been involved in the sport all our lives.
“Yes, the sport has come a long way since the early days, but it still has tremendous
potential and the young talent has not been tapped fully.”
Shaharudin won a gold medal in the 800m sprint and silver in the 1,600m sprint
at the SEAP Games held in Kuala Lumpur in 1965 — cycling’s first medals at the Games.
He plans to introduce cycling to schools and conduct competitions throughout the
country.
“I am more than able to give ideas and even organise it, but I need someone who
is reliable to work with, someone to come up with the working paper, raise funds and
knock on the doors of bureaucrats.”
He emphasised that participating in races is part of the training programme at the
grassroots.
Shaharuddin, who underwent a by-pass in 2008, is not afraid of challenges because
he has done so many impossible things in cycling.
One that is still fresh in his mind is how he turned around Malaysia’s fortune in the
sport with just RM44.60 in the coffers of the then Malaysian Cycling Federation when he
became the secretary in 1970.
“If there is a will, there is always a way. As long as one practises honesty, strict governance
and hard work.
“More often than not, things do not go well because of poor preparations and officials who are not sincere in their undertakings,” said the retired sports officer with the
Sports Ministry.
Shaharuddin related an incident to underline his passion for cycling.
“I had opened a bicycle shop in Shah Alam in 2007 as I wanted to be associated with
cycling even after my retirement. Unfortunately, I had to go for my bypass and when
I came out from my surgery, the first thing I asked my wife was whether the bicycle shop
was doing well,” said Shaharuddin.
Hasmah said: “I thought he was crazy talking about the shop when his health was
more important.
“But that is Shaharuddin for you. He puts the sport above everything else.”
Shaharuddin, however, had to close the bicycle shop after two years as some people
who were helping him were not honest and his business was in the red.
Today, the couple stays in Shah Alam while their three grown-up children stay
with their own families.
“I managed to turn a small plot of unused land behind the house to farm vegetables,”
said Shaharuddin as he proudly showed the fruits of his labour — banana, jackfruit and
lime trees and vegetables.
But his pride is the 50 ducks he is rearing for eggs.
“When my wife fell ill (diagnosed with fourth stage cancer in 2011), I was told by
the doctor that a place with serenity will be good therapy for her.
“I decided to set up this small gardening area and rear ducks. The first 30 ducklings
we bought died, eaten by dogs or went missing.
We then bought another 30 of which half survived. Wiser from experience, we
bought another 30 and now have about 50 full-grown ducks.”
Shaharuddin said he collects about 40 eggs daily which he sells for some extra income.
“It is not so much the income, but as a hobby and therapy for my
wife. We spend at least two to three hours in the morning and evening at the pond,” said Shaharuddin.
And as the couple spends time by the pond, they cannot help
thinking about how they can get back to the sport they love.

ROLL OF HONOUR
● National cyclist: 1957-1970
● Asian Games bronze medallist (team)
1962, Jakarta
● Bronze medallist Asia cycling championships,
Kuala Lumpur 1963
● First gold and bronze medallist for cycling
Shaharuddin with his gold and silver medals from the 1965 SEAP Games.
● Competed in: Commonwealth Games in
Perth, 1962, SEAP Games and Asia cycling
championships 1961–1969
● Olympic Games (Tokyo 1964) as cyclist
and as team manager (1972 Munich)
● Qualified as the fi rst Malaysian international
cycling commissaire 1973 and officiated
at meets from 1973 to 2006
● Malaysian Cycling Federation secretary:
1970–1988
● Coach of Selangor and national team:
1969-1984
● Inducted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia
Hall of Fame in 2007

Cycling hero washes cars to make ends meet

Published on Saturday 14th June

Monday, June 16, 2014 - The Malay Mail

Rosli being greeted by officials after winning the team gold at the Asian championships in KL in 1963.

By TONY MARIADASS

 

IN the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame and Malaysian cycling annals, he is considered a hero and an Icon.
But in real life, Rosli Abdul Kadir, who turns 75 next Saturday, is still washing cars to make a living instead of spending time leisurely.
The father of eight children and 23 grandchildren was a member of the gold medal winning team on grass at Merdeka Stadium in the 1963 Asian cycling championships.
A double international, having also represented the nation in in athletics, Rosli made his debut at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta and retired in 1973.
In the 20km Big Walk, he had competed in the 1973 Sea Games where he finished fourth.
He also won numerous walking meets in the region, including The Malay Mail Big Walk where he had won the junior veterans category thrice in a row to make the challenge trophy his to keep.
However, the accolades and honours earned as a cyclist were not good enough to get him a decent job to bring up his family.
Rosli had worked as a driver, odd-job worker and gardener before he decided to try his hands at car washing.
It started about 30 years ago when he managed to get CIMB in Damansara to allow him to wash its employees’ cars in their premises.
Three months ago, he moved to the CIMB Sentral office, thanks to the assistance of group administration and property manager Khairizal Khalib.

Rosli busy washing cars at the CIMB Sentral car park

Armed with a motorcycle which had been specially fitted to carry two pails of water, he moves up and down the car park to wash his regular clients’ cars three times a week.
He charges RM50 a month for regulars and RM5 a wash for random clients.
"I have about 40 regular clients and together with the random clients, I can earn about RM1,000 a month which is suffice for me to survive," said Rosli, whose wife passed away last year.
He currently stays with his youngest son in a low-cost rental where he pays RM124 per month.
“I am very grateful to Khairizal for giving me permission to operate in the bank's premises.
He is an ardent sports fan and took pity to allow me to earn my living washing cars.
“I have been doing this for more than 30 years and I am not ashamed of it because I am earning an honest living and working for it,” said Rosli, who was inducted into the OCM Hall of Fame last year.
Rosli said he also gets assistance from The National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) from which his medical bills are taken care of.
“I am grateful to Yakeb for assisting me and many other former athletes with our medical bills. We have a medical card given by Yakeb and use it to get our monthly medication.
“But it would have been nice to be remembered for services rendered to the nation. Something like pension in our old age."
When Yakeb launched their 1Ringgit 1Malaysia campaign in 2009, they had presented RM2,000 and a bag of rice to Rosli and his family.
“Thank God I can still work and earn pocket money by washing cars. I use the money for my daily expenses, buys gifts for my grandchildren when I can and save some just in case there comes a day when I cannot work," he said.
Rosli, who hails from Bunut Payong in Kota Baru, Kelantan, said he came to the city in the 1960s to attend trials for the Asian Games cycling team for three days on a hired bicycle.
He said it was the passion to represent the nation which saw him leave home.
"I have no regrets despite my current position. I enjoyed every minute of the 11 years in cycling," said Rosli.
“And to see my two sons — Nor Effandy and Noor Azahar — follow in my footsteps and don national colours was a proud moment for me.
“At least they are better off as there were efforts to secure employment for national athletes. Nor Effandy got a job as an enforcement officer with City Hall under (former KL mayor) Tan Sri Elyas Omar."
Rosli said that sports will be benefit with officials who are passionate and have the welfare of athletes at heart.
“Elyas was truly an exemplary official who has done a great deal for Malaysian sports.
“But more often than not, officials are there for their own benefits and athletes are often neglected.”
He said that athletes today have it good and should be performing much better in the international arena.
Rosli said one way for Malaysian sports to progress was to expose athletes to training methods overseas and more importantly, compete in top level competitions regularly.

Joo Pong slowing down the years

Published on Saturday The Malay Mail

Monday, May 26, 2014

Joo Pong (left) and Joo Ngan pose with an assortment of trophies and medals garnered from their cycling successes

By TONY MARIADASS

NG Joo Pong, in his heyday, was a bicycle terror who gave his rivals no quarter.
Today, he drives a taxi at a slow pace, hoping for passengers to wave him down.
Age, no doubt, has slowed him down considerably. And for someone who had represented Malaya in two Olympics – Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City 1968 – the downturn in fortunes had been inconceivable.
Apart from driving the taxi part-time, Joo Pong is also a contract lorry salesman.
To those who don’t know, Joo Pong was a pioneering national cyclist in the 1960s and was the first Malaysian to win a medal at the inaugural Asian cycling championships held at Merdeka Stadium in 1963.
Joo Pong, who turns 68 on June 19, won the bronze medal in the 1,000m individual road time trial in his first international meet when he was only 17.
The event was won by Thailand’s Taworn Jirapan ahead of Japan’s Masahi Omiya.
The Kuala Lumpur-born rider went on to win a gold medal in the four-man team 1,600m grass track team trial event at Merdeka Stadium. The quartet, comprising Joo Pong, Conrad Talalla, the late Andrew Michael and the late Jallaludin Yusof, finished in a time of 2:28.1.
Joo Pong, to the uninitiated, is the older brother of another cycling icon, Datuk Ng Joo Ngan.

Joo Pong (right) at the 1960 Tokyo Olympics

Joo Ngan is considered the most successful cyclist in Malaysian history, having won the most competitions and at the Asian Games.
But it was Joo Pong who started cycling first in the family and influenced his younger brother to take up the sport.
He retired from the sport after competing in his second consecutive Asian Games in Bangkok in 1970, where both he and Joo Ngan had competed.
After Joo Pong's retirement, his younger brother made his mark in cycling and became a household name.
“I was not athletic and did not like walking when I was young. I was helping my family business, which supplied well water to a village at 4th mile, Old Klang Road,” recalled Joo Pong.
“I was put in charge of the pump for the well, which supplied water to each household in the village from 6am to 6pm for RM6 a month. Each time it rained, I had to switch off the pump in case it got struck by lightning.
“We stayed some distance from the well and village, so to reach the well fast, I would take my father’s bicycle without his knowledge. I used to get a beating for using it and for the many falls I had. But that did not stop me from using the bicycle.”
Joo Pong then urged his parents to buy him a bicycle to go to school in Brickfields, but they refused.
He finally got his first bicycle when he was 12.
“I was presented with a China model, which cost RM75 at the time, for selling the most number of booklets for a Christmas lucky draw in La Salle Brickfields.
The funds were collected for renovations to St John’s Institution in 1959. I sold 60 booklets at RM5 each,” said Joo Pong.
“I then started to cycle everywhere and competed in my first competition in 1960 at my school meet (private school St Anthony) and won the 15-mile race from my school to Sungai Way and back."
Joo Pong had to attend a private school because he did not do well in Bahasa Malaysia in his Standard Six examination.
“I probably did not do well in my exams because I spent too much time selling the raffle tickets,” he laughed.
“Then I used to train in Jalan Duta and met some national cyclists, including N. Rosli, who urged me to compete in a road race. I trained, competed and beat all of them!”
Joo Pong competed in many road and track competitions before taking part in trials for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The trials were over four days from Alor Star to Johor Baru. He made it to the podium in four consecutive legs out of six to earn his Olympic ticket.
Joo Pong said the Olympics were a different kettle of fish with the latest racing bicycles and velodromes, sophisticated equipment and experienced cyclists. He returned richer in experience and exposure.

Joo Pong with Nazri after getting his taxi licence

He had gone to Tokyo with a bicycle his father Swee Long and mother had bought for RM270 from Robinsons Store.
In 1967, Joo Pong suffered a nasty road accident when training alone. He was cycling to Klang when a lorry he was following braked suddenly.
He rammed into it, breaking his jaw and suffering injuries that landed him in hospital for three months.
Once recovered, he started to race and win again, but the accident had taken a toll on him. He wanted to skip the 1970 Asian Games, but decided to keep Joo Ngan company and worked hard to qualify.
“Cyclists these days are very lucky because everything is taken care of, from equipment, coaching, training stints, allowance and handsome rewards. But their results leave much to be desired.
“In fact, our performance in the Asian championships is still standing. We competed for the love of the sport,” said Joo Pong, whose 31-year-old son is an IT programmer.
Upon retiring, Joo Pong became an insurance salesman. He and his brother applied for taxi licences in the 1970s, but Joo Pong only got his after a 30-year wait. And that too thanks to the then Public Enterprises Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who had read about Joo Pong’s plight in an article by M. Veera Pandiyan in his column Along the Watchtower.
“I am indebted to the reporter and Datuk Seri Nazri for assisting me,” said Joo Pong, who is driving his second taxi after his first was involved in an accident and became a write-off.
“I wrote a letter to Datuk Seri Nazri after learning that he loves sports and at the insistence of the reporter.
“I was a sports enthusiast, so I know of Joo Pong and his brother's exploits in cycling. They made us proud,” Nazri said when he finally met Joo Pong in 2012.
“When I saw a letter from him over 10 years ago asking for a permit, I didn't even have to interview him.”
Asked if his passengers recognise him or even remember his name displayed on the taxi, he replied: “This is a totally different generation.
 They are too young to remember me.”
Today, Joo Pong, without fail, still cycles three times a week for an hour at least before he takes his taxi out from 6am to 7am. He then goes on his calls to sell lorries. He drives the taxi again for another two hours in the evening around Shah Alam, where he lives.
During weekends, he would drive his taxi for a few extra hours.
Asked if his back and knee hurt when driving the taxi, he said: “I stopped cycling for ten years and suffered from all sorts of aliments. I got back to cycling and I am much healthier and the pain is much less.
“I will be cycling till my dying day. It is my first love.”