KUALA LUMPUR – National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) partnered up with the National Sports Council (NSC) and Fraser and Neave Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd (F&N) to pay a visit to two-time Olympian Ng Joo Pong recently in conjunction with the Chinese New Year’s celebrations.
Yakeb chairman Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed said the visit aimed to ensure the well-being of its members during this festive season.
“(As part of the) Chinese New Year celebrations, Yakeb, F&N, and the NSC came together to visit our Olympian Ng Joo Pong.
“Yakeb has nominated recipients for the generous contributions from the NSC and F&N.
“100Plus has also agreed to provide contributions in kind, while recipients also received RM500 in cash.
“We are looking to extend this programme beyond Chinese New Year. We will also visit former athletes during Eid and Deepavali,” he said.
Noorul Ariffin added that Yakeb members who are ill and without a source of income were given priority when receiving these contributions.
During the visit, Joo Pong, who had to be wheeled out in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Ong Beng Kin, warmly welcomed the guests and expressed gratitude for the gesture.
“I’m happy with this visit today. Usually, it’s just my wife, my helper, and me at home, so the festive season can feel a bit lonely sometimes. But my son does visit me,” he said.
Joo Pong was a national cyclist who represented Malaysia in the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico Olympic Games.
He was 18 years old when he competed in the men’s 100km team time trial, the 1,000m time trial, and the 4,000m team pursuit in Tokyo, followed by the individual men’s road race in Mexico.
Additionally, the 77-year-old former athlete also represented the country at the 1966 Bangkok Asian Games, clinching a gold medal in the long-distance event, a remarkable achievement, particularly with Japan’s dominance in the sport at that time.
Yakeb, NSC, and F&N paid courtesy calls to other former athletes as well, including footballer Lim Kim Lian, swimmer Lim Geok Wah, and shooter Lim Yoke Che. – February 10, 2024