KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian sports fraternity is in shock following the passing of the former National Sports Council (NSC) director general Datuk Zolkples Embong.
According to reports Zolkples succumbed to a heart attack at his home in Pandan Indah, Ampang where he lived alone.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told The Vibes that he was a towering figure in Malaysian sports.
"Much of our success today at the Olympics is due to his vision and commitment to development.
"He was meticulous and knew everything about every athlete. Even in retirement, he would give his views which were widely reported. Great loss for Malaysian sports," Khairy said in a whatsapp message.
At the same time, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Mohd Norza Zakaria told The Vibes that Zolkples was a strong figure in Malaysian sports and that his contributions to the administration and development of sports in this country is boundless.
Norza added that Zolkples epitomised a sports technocrat and administrator who practiced professionalism to the highest level.
"His no nonsense and firm character have managed to assist the progress of many NSAs.
"He will be missed by all of us in the sports fraternity," Norza said.
His friend and former colleague Datuk Ramlan Aziz, in a Facebook post, said he was saddened to receive the sad news this morning.
"My friend and colleague in Malaysian sports is no longer with us. He was found lifeless in his home, where he lived alone, earlier this morning.
"We have had differences as normal human beings, all related to earthly matters in sport. But we buried the hatchet well in 2010, as friends and colleagues for the nation's sports.
"We respected and held each other in proper measure of esteem and friendship, befitting two souls walking on the same challenging path to redemption, for his sake," the former National Sports Institute (NSI) director general said.
Meanwhile, FA of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Seri Hamidin Haji Amin said that his passing is a great loss to the sports industry and he will be missed.
"A great man with a great vision. I have worked with him closely when he was the director general of NSC, he was good at what he did," he said.
Former OCM secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said Zolkples was a hardworking person and at the same time extremely dedicated towards sports development.
" I became close to Zolkples at the 1980 Delhi Asian Games when we were both in the Secretariat.
"I am sad and sorry that he had to leave so early when he could still contribute to Malaysian sports," Kok Chi said. - The Vibes, October 3, 2021
