20 past, present athletes honoured at ceremony
Published on: Monday, May 25, 2015
Tuaran: Twenty past and present athletes and sportsmen from this district have been honoured by the Tuaran Barisan Nasional (BN).They received their Letters of Recognition and token of appreciation from Tuaran BN chairman Datuk Seri Hj Hajiji Hj Noor at a dinner here Saturday. Also present was Deputy Chairman, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau who is Tuaran MP.Officiating the 2015 Tuaran BN Sports Carnival, Hajiji who is Local Government and Housing Minister said being a caring government, BN does not forget those who had done the district proud.
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Heading the list was former Mr Sabah, Elias Augustine Banau who is now 80. He first became Mr Sabah on 16 September 1963, the day Malaysia was formed. He became Mr Sabah a few more times after that. He later became an actor, appearing in a few films including Mat Salleh.Another veteran honoured was Sylvester Chang who in his hey days during the 1960s used to represent the State in athletics. Now 72, he has retired after spearheading Sabah's veteran athletes for the past 30 years.Former senior prison officer Simit Bolkiah also received recognition from Hajiji. Retiring as an ASP, he also used to represent Sabah in his prime. He was supposed to have represented Malaysia in the Moscow Olympics along with James Wong and Hassan Sani but the country boycotted the Games.Sabah's past and present football players and coaches similiarly honoured were Stanley Chew, Conrad Mojungkim and Justin Ganai. Former Kota Belud and Beaufort OCPD ex-DSP Dandi Jamal, 62, was also recognised for his prowess in athletics. So was former national skeet shooter Vincent Teo, now 69.
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A few former sportsmen and sportswomen who had passed away were also honoured. They included the late Bittie Okos who represented Sabah (then North Borneo) in the Borneo Games. A policeman of the North Borneo Police Force, he was killed during the Brunei Revolt at the age of 25.Another former State football player of the British colonial era during the early 1960s was the late Ambang Asih. An old boy of La Salle, he would have been 73.
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A Taekwando exponent who was also a former beauty queen, Veronieta Antau Stephen, was also honoured. A graduate of UMS, she was a Tuaran Unduk Ngadau who was killed in a road accident in 2008.Other veterans similarly honoured were former State boxer Ghapur Mulkiaman, 63; State football player Ahmad Hj idris, 68; State runner Engku Giom @ Earnest, 75; and athlete Jeffrey Datuk Hj Ismail, 52.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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