Former Malaysian international soccer star Arthur Koh ( below ) who passed away on Monday in Kuala Lumpur aged 74, is fondly remembered as a jovial character who played hard but fair on the field but was always ready for a laugh after the match.

arthur koh 300410 He was one of the top strikers in the country in the late 50s and 60s, especially noted for his heading skills.

"Koh was about medium height," said Abdul Ghani Minhat, a Malaysian soccer legend in his own right. "But he had tremendous spring in his legs."

Ghani, who also played as forward, was teammates with Koh for many years. They played side by side for the Selangor Rangers Club, the Selangor state team and the national team.

"I would say one of our proudest moments was when Malaya had just become an independent nation, and we turned out wearing the national colours in the first Merdeka tournament in 1957,"  said Ghani, who was nicknamed Raja Bola for his dribbling skills and powerful shots.

Clement Soosay, one of Koh's best friends, said they met on opposing sides in a club match in the 50s. Soosay was a fullback and Koh was a forward and they a fierce battle throughout the game.

"We gave each other few knocks and I think he was a bit cross at me after the match!

"But we met up soon afterwards as part of the Selangor selection side and became the best of friends. What struck me about him as a soccer player was his intelligent reading of the game and the timing of his runs especially when meeting crosses."

Glittering soccer career

abd ghani minhat 001 Koh went on to have a glittering soccer career and together with players like Ghani ( right ), Robert Choe, Edwin Dutton and Stanley Gabriel made the country one of the most formidable sides in Asia.

One of Koh's shining moments was scoring a late winner for the country with a header in a 2-1 win over Hong Kong in the final of the 1959 Merdeka Tournament. He also scored the first goal with a header.

In the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, the national team took the bronze. 

He also helped Malaysia to victories in the SEA Games and was in the Selangor side that won  Malaya-Malaysia Cup titles in 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1966.

Former national skipper M Chandran, who led Malaysia to the Munich Olympics in 1972, played regularly with Koh at the club level. By then Koh had faded out of the international scene and Chandran was a rising star.

"He was a mentor to us younger guys, helping us to improve our game and driving us on to play our best."

After he retired from soccer, Koh concentrated on his career as a senior clerk in a leading bank until retirement.

For the last 10 years he served as a disciplinary board member with the FA of Malaysia.

Koh leaves behind wife, Veronica, and two sons, Francis and Christopher.