Sarjit Singh's final salute should inspire a lasting sporting tradition

As family members and friends bid a final farewell to Olympian and national hockey coach Sarjit Singh, perhaps his passing should inspire Malaysia to build a tradition of honouring those who once carried the nation's hopes on the sporting stage.

KUALA LUMPUR: The air was heavy with grief as tears flowed freely.

Some remembered the good ol’ days with Sarjit Singh. Others struggled to accept that he was gone too soon. Amid the hushed conversations and shared memories came a painful whisper: “Hockey had killed him.”

The Batu Pahat-born Sarjit had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. After spending more than a month at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, he lost his final battle on Aug 23.

Earlier today, Sarjit was given a guard of honour by 16 former players, who raised their hockey sticks as his remains were brought out of his home in Subang Jaya and placed into the hearse to be taken to the Shamshan Bhoomi Hall at Jalan Loke Yew.

A massive crowd — family members, friends, former hockey players and journalists — gathered at the crematorium to pay their final respects to a man who gave so much to Malaysian hockey.

Sarjit represented Malaysia at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He later coached the Speedy Tigers on two occasions — from 2007 to 2008, and again from March 2024 to March this year.

His second stint may not have ended in the manner he or Malaysian hockey would have wished, despite the national team qualifying for the 2026 Hockey World Cup. But none of that seemed to matter.

What mattered was Sarjit the husband. Sarjit the father. Sarjit the Olympian. Sarjit the coach. Sarjit the hockey figure whose life had become so deeply intertwined with the sport he loved.

As former players stood with their hockey sticks raised in tribute, creating a final passage of honour for one of their own, it was difficult not to wonder: how else should Malaysia honour those who have represented the nation at the highest level?

The answer must go beyond a condolence message on social media.

Perhaps it is time for Malaysia to establish a national tradition of honouring its fallen sporting heroes — one that can embrace athletes from all sports and be rooted in dignity, remembrance and genuine appreciation.

When soldiers fall, their next of kin are handed the Jalur Gemilang by uniformed personnel. It is a powerful gesture — a symbol of service, sacrifice and nationhood.

Our athletes, too, carry the Jalur Gemilang. They wear it on their jerseys and tracksuits. They march behind it. They compete beneath it, often carrying the hopes of millions on their shoulders.

Should not those who have served the country through sport be accorded a meaningful national farewell when they leave us?

Perhaps the next of kin of a national sporting great could be presented with the Jalur Gemilang, together with a simple memento — a plaque or an item associated with the athlete’s sport — by a senior figure from the sporting fraternity.

It need not be extravagant or costly. But it should mean something.

A fitting farewell, carried out with honour and tradition, is not merely ceremonial. It tells the family that the years of sacrifice mattered. It reminds the public of what the athlete gave to the country. And it offers younger generations a powerful lesson; that representing Malaysia is a privilege, and that those who do so will not simply fade into memory when their final whistle blows.

Over time, such gestures could become part of our sporting culture — a tradition of remembrance for those whose achievements, sacrifices and service helped carry Malaysia’s name onto the world stage.

It should celebrate lives well lived, careers that inspired and sacrifices that often went unseen. It should acknowledge that athletes are different — not because they are above everyone else, but because, at some point in their lives, they carried the nation’s name and flag onto a stage larger than themselves.

Such an initiative should be spearheaded by former athletes. If they do not take the lead in honouring their own, who will?

Perhaps the Malaysia Olympians Association, together with the Olympic Council of Malaysia, can develop a framework that guides how the nation pays its final respects to athletes who have represented the country.

There will, of course, be questions about eligibility and how such a tribute should be carried out. Not every athlete’s passing will be marked in the same way. But that is precisely why a thoughtful framework is needed — one that is respectful, inclusive and guided by the significance of an athlete’s service to the nation.

When a proper send-off is carried out with dignity, honour and tradition, it cannot erase grief. Nothing can.

But for a brief moment, it can help ease the burden carried by those left behind. It can give families comfort in knowing that their loved one’s contribution was seen, remembered and appreciated.

Sarjit Singh’s farewell was poignant. The raised hockey sticks, the tears, the memories — they spoke of a bond that stretched beyond victories and defeats.

Perhaps his passing should also prompt something lasting.

Not another rulebook. Not another bureaucratic exercise. But a simple and meaningful tradition of honour. A final salute from a grateful nation.

For the men and women who once wore the Jalur Gemilang with pride, surely that is the least we can do.

Editor’s note: Twentytwo13 would like to extend our deepest condolences to Sarjit’s wife, Kulwant Kaur, their children Kavita Kaur, Manraj Singh, Dellvin Kaur, Jasreen Kaur, Jasweer Singh and Nischal Singh, as well as other family members, over the loss of their loved one.