Kota Kinabalu: Long-serving Sabah Deaf Sports Association President Spancer Soo Kok Heng passed away at 3am on Wednesday at Hospital Queen Elizabeth I, after a long battle with cancer.
He was 11 days short of his 53rd birthday.
He was the recipient of this year’s Sabah State Sports Leadership Award in recognition of his contributions to the deaf sports community.
Spancer’s involvement in sports began in the early 1990s when he represented Malaysia in tenpin bowling and football before becoming president of the state association in 2012 and vice-president of the National Deaf Sports body in 2015.
Under his leadership, Sabah produced numerous medal-winning athletes for the country, and the state contingent also won the national deaf sports title twice consecutively.
Youth Development, Sports Advancement and Creative Economy Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, in a statement, said his passing was a significant loss to the sports community.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of the late Spancer Soo Kok Heng. His passing is a great loss to the Sabah sports world, especially the deaf sports community who have long benefited from his leadership,” he said.
“On behalf of the ministry, I extend my condolences to his family, friends and comrades.
“May his family be given strength in this difficult time. His services and contributions will always be remembered,” he said.
