Ex-M’sia rugby refereeing committee chief Omar Mohammad passes away

KUALA LUMPUR − Former Malaysia Rugby refereeing committee chairman and manager of the SUKOM ‘98 Sevens rugby team, Col (B) Omar Mohammad, died on Monday at the age of 68.

His son Khairi Omar, 47, said Omar succumbed to hernia at 10pm at the Seremban Hospital.

Omar leaves behind two wives, Rahmah Abdul Jalil and Bunga Kuntom Gemala Sari, and four children.

“The last time I met my father was a month ago when we dined at a restaurant in Sendayan,” Khairi told Bernama yesterday.

Omar was laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Pelegong in Labu, Negeri Sembilan yesterday afternoon.

He started his career as a referee while still serving in the Malaysian Armed Forces in the 80s, apart from serving as a referee at Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) tournaments in the 90s.

He joined the exco of the Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU) as referee coordinator from the late 1990s until the early 2000s and assumed responsibilities as referee assessor and referee instructor for ARFU and MRU. – Bernama, January 12, 2022