Maniam Manikkam, who passed away peacefully last week at the age of 65, was a regional figurehead in Perlis State who had played a longtime role as President of the Kabaddi Association of Malaysia.

He was also a long-time office bearer and former vice-president of the Malaysian National Cycling Federation, and had generated huge respect across Asia for working to develop the sport in smaller nations on the continent.

Malaysia has never won an Olympic cycling medal, but has enjoyed much success in recent years, particularly in track sprint events, with Azizulhasni Awang having won three World Championship medals and seven Asian titles and Josiah Ng claiming keirin gold at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games. 

Malaysia's male kabaddi team have also enjoyed vastly improved performances under Manikkam's charge, finishing fifth at last autumn's Asian Games in Incheon.

Respects have been paid, meanwhile, to Allahyaham Tan Sri Datuk Wira Haji Omardin Mauju, a pioneer of the martial arts discipline of silat. 

After setting up Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia, in the early 1960s, which now has branches all over Malaysia, Asia and other parts of the world, he established the Malaysian National Silat Federation (MNSF) and the International Pencak Silat Federation in 1980.

This led to the sports inclusion on the programme of the Southeast Asian Games, with the sport having recently been proposed for inclusion at both the 2017 Asian Beach Games in Vietnam and the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. 

He dies peacefully at the age of 74, leaving behind his wife and two sons, one of whom is Senator YB Datuk Megat Zulkarnain, is the current secretary general of the MNSF.

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