JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 19 – Johor Cricket Council President’s XI will play Cricket Malaysia President’s XI in a 30 overs cricket match in memory of the late Dato Dr. Harjit Singh who passed away in October last year due to complications after a heart surgery at the National Heart Institution (IJN).
”Celebrating The Life of late Dato Dr. Harjit Singh” cricket match will be played at the Dato Dr. Harjit Singh JCC Academy and Oval in Mutiara Rini, on the outskirts of Johor Bahru.The Academy and Oval was renamed after him for his vast contributions to the sport in Johor and Malaysia.
Cricket Malaysia will be captained by its president Iqbal Ali while JCC will be led by JCC deputy president Idris Abdul Rahman, a former international.
The guest of honor at the match will be Datin Kaldip Kaur, wife of the late Dato Dr. Harjit, who was Mr. Cricket in the cricket fraternity for his deep involvement in the game.
Among those in the JCC lineup, apart from Idris, are former internationals Yazid Imran, (a double international who was also a national javelin thrower), Chew Pok Cheong (who is the current coach of Sarawak Cricket), Azhar Zainal, Sudesh Narayanan, Yusri Rahaman, Prof Dr Faidz Rahman (vice-president JCC and vice-president UTAR, Haikal Harith (JCC Hon Secretary) and Tham Teck Kiong.
Cricket Malaysia, apart from Iqbal Ali, include Dr. Arun (deputy president), Dato Feisal (vice-president and treasurer OCM), Gordon Chong (vice-president), Conrad Young (Hon Secretary), Mahnorizal (Hon treasurer), Dr. Razli, Nordin Abdullah, Edwin Seah, Vijilingam, Haris A. Bakar and Kalidas (all former internationals).
”This will be an annual affair from this year onwards,” said Idris, adding that several other cricket personalities like K. Ramadas, Azmi Majid and P. Banerji and former staff of Kelinik Harjit will be attending the match.
Dato Dr. Harjit is the man who took cricket to the Felda schemes in Johor before the Kancil Programme “Catch ’em Young” policy went nationwide. He took the bat and ball game to schools in the Felda schemes with his Kancil Program and turned it into game of passion among Malay students.
The late Dato Dr. Harjit was the president of the Johor Cricket Council (JCC) since 1987 and was the longest serving head in any sports association in the country – something which will be difficult to emulate by the present generation.
He also served the Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) as the deputy president from 1990 to 2003 and was in charge of development, which was closest to his heart.
For his contributions to the sport Dr. Harjit was inducted in the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Hall Fame in 2017. He was also a three-time winner of the Johor Sports Leadership Award – in 1989, 1995 and 2007.
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