[UPDATED] Ex-president of women’s hockey association, Najib Razak’s aunt Zainon Hussein dies

KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian women’s hockey fraternity has lost one of its influential figures following the passing of Tok Puan Zainon Datuk Hussein. 

Zainon, who was the former president of Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association from 1973 to 1986, passed away today. 

She was 84.

Her nephew and former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak shared the news on his Facebook page. 

“Received sad news about my aunt Tok Puan Zainon Hussein who returned to Rahmatullah this morning. 

“After the passing of my father, she always spent time with my mother and our family, a very loving and noble person. 

“Let us all pray for her spirit to be blessed and placed among the righteous,” he said.

During her time as the president of the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association (PHWM), Zainon played an integral part in its development as she worked on various developmental programmes that enhanced the participation of women in the sport. 

Throughout her leadership, PHWM introduced the National Women’s Hockey Tournament to fight for the Tengku Budriah Cup. 

Malaysia also participated in the first World Cup Hockey Tournament organised by the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Association (IFWHA) in 1975 and hosted the third Hockey World Cup Championship in 1983. 

She was also behind the establishment of the Federation of Asian Ladies Hockey Association (FALHA) in 1975 and was elected as its first president until 1986. 

Her biggest accomplishment as the association’s leader was listing women’s hockey in the Asian Games. It was competed during the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi, where the Malaysian women’s hockey team won the bronze medal. 

Zainon also pushed for PHWM to become a coalition member of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) in 1974 and become a member of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in 1976. 

PHWM later merged with the Malaysian Hockey Federation to form what is now known as the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) in 2005. 

For her service in the development of Malaysia’s sports, she was inducted into the OCM Hall of Fame in 2004. 

Zainon was also given the OCM Women and Sports Award, presented by Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah during the 26th OCM Annual Dinner and Awards Night in 2019. 

She was the wife of OCM’s fourth president, Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah and also the younger sibling of Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who was also OCM’s third president. 

In a statement, OCM shared their condolences to Zainon’s family. 

“It is a great loss to the national sports scene, especially women’s hockey. 

“May her soul be granted mercy and be placed among the faithful,” it said. – The Vibes, July 28, 2022.