Dilbagh Singh Kler dies..

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Former renowned Sabah sportsman Datuk Dilbagh Singh Kler died here early this morning following a short illness.
   He was 76 and is survived by his wife, Datin Amrit Kler, three children and a grandson.
   He breathed his last just before 5am at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital 2 after being warded for a week, his eldest daughter, Jaswinder told Bernama.
"It was totally unexpected. But he hadn't been well because he was already old," said Jaswinder, a former   New Straits Times journalist and wife to Bernama Sandakan Chief Haslin Gaffor.
   The Kota Kinabalu-born Dilbagh was a renowned athlete who represented Malaysia in several international tournaments in the 1960s such as the Olympics and Commonwealth Games (then known as British Empire & Commonwealth Games).
    But his greatest achievements were the gold medals he won for the 3,000-metre steeplechase event in the South-East Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur (1965), Bangkok (1967) and Rangoon (1969).
    Dilbagh also served as a coach for athletes under the State Youth and Sports Ministry and retired in 1991.
I    n 2006, he was among 36 people awarded the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) which carries the title "Datuk" in conjunction with the 60th birthday celebration of Sabah's then Head of State Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah.
     His remains will be placed at the Fook Lu Siew Funeral Parlour here until Saturday when it will be cremated.

Champs Malaysia to name squad late..

MALAYSIA will name their final 18 for the Sultan of Johor  Cup on Nov 9, as training would only start after the Razak Cup  ends on Monday.
    As defending champions, Malaysia will face silver medal lists Australia, New Zealand, India, Germany and Pakistan on  Nov 11-18 at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.
   “Our players are all competing in the Razak Cup now, so we  will only name the final squad latest by Nov 9 after clocking in  some training,” said team manager Mirnawan Nawawi.
   Pakistan withdrew last week, but are back in the fold for  reasons only known to them.
   “We had re-draw the fixtures to a five-team tournament  after Pakistan withdrew but after a few days, the called and  said that they want to play in the Cup again.
   “We have included them, again, and it would be a six-team  tournament,” said Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC)  senior vice-president Manjit Majid Abdullah.
    Malaysia beat Australia 3-2 on golden goal in the final of  the First Edition.
   But they will be hard-pressed to defend their title this year,  as four former Junior World Cup champions are in the fold.  For the record, only five countries have won the Junior World  Cup to date.
    The four former World junior champions are Germany,  Pakistan, Australia, India and Argentina.
    Meanwhile, New Zealand have finalised their squad of 18.  after a selection camp in Counties Manukau.
    Coach Grant Edwards said the young team is impressive  and shows real potential.
    “This was a difficult team to select as everyone put in a  sound performance at the selection camp, which was pleas ing. It’s important to note also, that these athletes selected  are all available and eligible for the 2013 Junior World Cup,”  said Edwards.
    The 2013 Junior World Cup will be held in India in  December.