A Tribute to Victor Kok Kee

A Personal Tribute to a Pioneer ‘GURU’ of Physical Culture in the Federation of Malaya

As told to Jerry B. F. Chan, KMW, AMN by James Au Kooi Sang.

I first met this simple, unassuming man in a very conspicuous manner when he rescued me from being bullied by a few men in Yut Kee coffee shop at no. 35 Campbell Road, Kuala Lumpur, one Sunday morning in 1958.  Later he brought me over to his billiards game shop house at no. 16, Campbell Road (now Jalan Dang Wangi). He encouraged me to take up weight training to improve my health and physical condition.  Thanks to this humble man, I have never looked back since.

Not many people realize that this man has contributed very substantially to the early development of the Body-Building/Weight-Training Culture in Malaya. For the record, from 1953 to 1963, he traveled throughout the country promoting the winsome “Healthy Living Lifestyle” to the youths of Malaya/Malaysia. He helped to organize the 1^st “Mr Malaya” contest way back in 1955.  He was also instrumental in bringing the Federation of Malaya into the world map of Body-Building.  As a tribute to this fine gentleman, it must be recorded that he was responsible for Clancy Ang’s (from Malacca) victory at the “Mr Universe” 1962 contest in London – the first Malayan Chinese Bodybuilder to have won the title of “Mr Universe” class 3, and Osman Ali (from Kedah) – “Mr Universe” 1962 (6^th place class 2) – the first Malay Body-builder to gain international fame in Body-Building!

Present day physical culture/health conscious enthusiasts throughout the country should not forget this man for he was the “Brain” behind the physical culture/health conscious movement in the country.

As far as I recall, he formed both the Nilai Bangsa Physical Culture Association in 1959 and the Malayan Amateur Weight-lifting Federation in 1955 – forerunner to the present Malaysian Body-Building Federation (MBBF).

From where or how this wonderful selfless hard-working man find such inexhaustible energy to carry out countless assignments simultaneously, can only come from one of his advices given to me (and which is still embedded in my mind to this day) and that is – “In- order to maintain efficiency one has to be mentally and physically fit. Nothing beats hard work;  and regular exercising is the only answer”.

To me, this man, who has contributed so tirelessly to the well being of his fellow Malaysian health enthusiasts, should be remembered posthumous with a “Datukship” award.  This fine Malaysian gentle-ironman is none other than the late Victor Kok Kee – the Doyan of Malaysian Body-Building.

Goodbye my dear friend Victor Kok Kee – may your soul rest in eternal peace in heaven.