One of Malaysia’s oldest rugby clubs celebrated its 60th anniversary in style at the Riverside Majestic Hotel Kuching last week.
Kuching Rugby Football Club (KRFC), which was founded by the Sarawak constabulary commissioner Datuk Peter Turnbull in 1959, has come a long way since the colonial era.
Ironically, it was established for the wrong reasons; rugby became an essential sport for the police field force (PFF), which was created during the birth of the communist insurgency in the early 1950s.
At that time, the winds of politics were blowing strongly because communism had already taken root in Malaya and was spreading to Sarawak.
To add to Sarawak’s worries, the colonial regime was abandoning its territories and the British government was determined to form a coalition government of Malaya, Singapore and the Borneo territories in the early 1960s.
Even as Indonesia declared “war” against Malaysia in 1963, it was the native policemen in the newly-formed PFF who introduced rugby – a game of ruffians played by gentlemen – to the police and the local community!
This story was encapsulated in a book titled “KRFC – 60 Years Of Rugby” launched by Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah.
It was the story of how a businessman, Song Kheng Hai, donated a large parcel of land of at least 10 acres in Padungan in 1929 and dedicated it as a recreational ground.
A close friend of the third rajah Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, it was a gift of love for the people of Kuching because Song had arrived from China in 1888 as a destitute, frail and sickly child.
Given away for adoption to a distant relative in Kuching, his fortunes changed in Sarawak and together with his new adoptive family members became one of the richest families in town.
Sadly, Song died just before the end of World War II but his legacy remained.
It was a matter of time before the Kuching municipality dedicated the Song Kheng Hai ground as a full-fledged rugby pitch.
To honour his forebear, Richard Song Swee Jin took it upon himself to compile a book on the Song clan and organise the KRFC gala night last week.
Looking back, Richard, who was a top athlete in his school days at St Joseph’s, said his grandfather’s generous gesture planted the seed that helped Sarawak become a sports powerhouse.
“From a playground used for a variety of games, it was gradually developed into the first rugby pitch in Sarawak albeit a muddy pitch for many years,” said Richard.
It was two expatriates, Frank Burke Gaffney and Marine Department’s Ian Nash, both former KRFC presidents who led the way and soon a clubhouse was built next to the recreational ground.
All of this was possible because Song’s descendants kept to the promise their ancestor had made 80 years ago.
In 1956 and in keeping with the Song tradition, Song’s seventh son Datuk Song Thian Cheok contested the local council election, won and became a member of the Kuching municipality (Kuching Municipal Council).
After helping to form Sarawak’s first political party the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) in 1959 together with Tan Sri Stephen Yong Kuet Tze and Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui, the trio were pioneers in the formation of Malaysia four years later on Sept 16, 1963.
When Thian Cheok become the mayor of Kuching from 1965 to 1977, the Song Kheng Hai ground was a novelty where locals and expatriates met and shared a few glasses of beer.
Following in his footsteps, his son Datuk Song Swee Guan joined the KMC. In 1983, Swee Guan won the Padungan state seat under the SUPP ticket.
Five years later in 1988 during the delineation of the Kuching council into two cities, Swee Guan became mayor of Kuching City South and the camaraderie at the Padungan rugby pitch continued.
The Song Kheng Hai story was revived in 2017 when Richard became president of the Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU).
Determined to promote the sport and ensure that the Song Kheng Hai pitch would retain its glory, Richard worked closely with his rugby counterparts at both club and state level.
He drew support from schoolmate State Secretary Tan Sri Morshidi Abdul Gani, who was the younger of two brothers who captained the St Thomas team in 1973.
Morshidi’s older brother Shookry skippered his school team against St Thomas School led by one of SRU’s advisors, Sandy Ritchie.
Richard’s effort to promote rugby was not in vain because Abdul Karim, the guest of honour at the KRFC anniversary dinner, announced that the government would donate RM6 mln to build two international-standard rugby pitches at the multi-million-ringgit Sarawak Stadium complex in Petra Jaya.
Abdul Karim, who has been the driving force behind youth sporting activities, especially the Sukma Games, said top priority would be given to upgrading the Song Kheng Hai pitch, which has great sentimental value.
Back to the KRFC do on March 28, there is an interesting story that must be told; the story of how Abdul Karim walked to the dinner.
An elaborate 7.30pm programme had been drawn up for Abdul Karim, who had made it a point not to miss the event.
But his plans were interrupted when his official car got caught in a traffic jam during a Chinese religious procession.
Where were the traffic cops? Why weren’t the organisers courteous to allow the minister to pass through?
A man who does not stand on ceremony, the sporting Abdul Karim waited patiently in his car trapped in the jam and unable to turn back.
After a patient 30 minutes, he decided to walk to the party – an hour late, but smiling, as the 700 guests gave him a rousing welcome.
As the saying goes, better late than never.
But Abdul Karim’s short walkathon was indeed true dedication, which should be emulated.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
