Goal, KimSong!
At age 64, legendary Singapore football player turned
author, Quah Kim Song, is ever the star he was when he
scored Singapore’s winning goal against Penang at the
1977 Malaysia Cup Final. Last year, Kim Song was one
of the top fundraisers for CCF, raising a total of $104,560
through his charity match which saw some of Singapore’s
football iconsgather todo their part for childrenwithcancer.
TRIBUTE goes behind-the-scenes to find out what the star
player has been busywith after retirement and how it feels
to be back on the soccer field in the name of charity!
What have you been busy with after retiring? Do you
still play soccer leisurely?
I have been busy travelling and visiting places of interest
such as South Africa, Brazil, Japan, Australia and New
Zealand, just to name a few. I want to cover as many
countries as possible in the next few years! I also keep
myself occupied by cycling, exercising at the gym, playing
football for Singapore Recreational Club and bringing my
grandchildren out once aweek!
Howdid the ideaof raising funds forCCFcomeabout?
Giving back to the society has always been one of the
itemsonmybucket list and I amveryglad tobeable tohelp
CCF raisemore than$100,000 tohelp childrenwith cancer
and their families. My daughter, Leonora, is a registered
volunteer at CCF and shewas the one liaisingwithCCF in
organising this fundraiser.
How does it feel to be back on the soccer field once
again after so long?
It was not difficult to put my boots on at all since it was for
agood cause!Of course, I had topreparemyself physically
prior to the game to prevent injuring myself. I played at a
much slower pace to entertain the fans who turned up for
the charity game.
Itmusthavebeenachallenge togather the1977Malaysia
Cup winning team and star soccer players together to
laceup for this fundraiser! Howdid youdo it?
I have the contacts of all my former colleagues so it was
easy to reach out to them! They weremore than willing to
play when I made the request since this was for charity.
It was also ameaningful opportunity for everyone to come
together and reminisce about the past.
You launched your book – Pass Kim Song the %#@*
ball! The Quah Kim Song Story – at your fundraiser.
What inspired you towrite the book?
1977 was a defining moment in Singapore’s football
history when the Lions won the Malaysia Cup in Penang.
Unfortunately, a huge fire in 1988 at the now defunct
Singapore Broadcast Corporation destroyed all the football
footages. This book serves to record the glorious days of
Singapore football since the nation’s independence for the
younger and future generations of Singaporeans. I did it for
my parents, children, grandchildrenand also for the nation.
QuahwithPresident Tony TanKengYam andCCF
ChairpersonHoChengHuat at theQuahKimSong
StoryCharity Event
Quah launched his book, Pass KimSong the%#@*
ball!! –TheQuahKimSongStory, as a tribute to his
dad andmum
Quahwith his grandchildren,
Renee andRyan
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