KUCHING: The proposed revival of the Borneo Games by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has generated excitement, especially among the older generation who witnessed the fierce competitions decades ago.
Many older athletes and fans recall the intense rivalry between teams like Sarawak, Sabah, and, to a lesser extent, Brunei, especially during the peak years from the 1950s to the 1970s, before the Games were discontinued.
The Borneo Games, once dubbed the “Borneo Olympics”, were known for their electrifying atmosphere. Held at the Jubilee Ground, these athletics meets could draw crowds of up to 5,000 spectators.
According to Joseph Lee Gut Hin, a stalwart of the Games, the most significant attraction was the rivalry.
“Sabah was a little better than Sarawak,” he remarked, “but Sarawak also had many great athletes who dominated the Games.”
Legendary names from Sarawak like Terence Janting, Kuda Ditta, Datuk Tham Siew Kai, Latif Olen, and Albert Blassan come to mind.
Sabah, meanwhile, boasted athletes like Asian Games champion Dilbagh Singh Kler, Olympians Gabuh Pingging, long jumper Anthony Chong, shot putter Mary Wong, and many others.
Brunei had A. Sibidol, who excelled in throwing events, while Sarawak’s William Yeo also won the shot put once.
One memorable event was the 800m race at the 1968 Borneo Games, held at the Jubilee Ground, where I witnessed an upset. The favourite, Dilbagh Singh Kler, was unexpectedly challenged by Joe O’Connor, an American Peace Corps volunteer and teacher at St Joseph’s School.
When O’Connor defeated Dilbagh, Sarawak fans erupted in joyous celebration, reflecting the fierce rivalry between the two states.
Terence Janting, the original “Flying Dayak”, never lost his 100-yard race in the Borneo Games, except when he narrowly lost to Joseph Lee in Seria, Brunei.
Kuda Ditta, later known as Bala Ditta after his marriage, remained undefeated in the 110m hurdles in both the Borneo Games and in Malaysia.
The first women’s sprint champion of the Borneo Games was Mary Chong, a St Mary’s schoolgirl in 1956.
She was followed by outstanding female athletes like Chen Li Na and Kush Swee Hong, who went on to the Asian Games, Vivien Chua in javelin, Chong Mei Ling (now Latifah Chong), Lee Nyuk Moi, and Chai Ng Mei, the high jump wonder who became the first female Olympian from Sarawak, later known as Gladys Vonder Laage Chai, who now resides in Germany.
From Sabah, names such as Dilbagh Singh Kler’s brother Balwant Singh and sister Kaur, Zainuddin Wahab, Anthony Chong, Gabuh Pingging, sprinter P. Stalman, Maria Yusof, and Florence Soon stand out.
During its heyday, the Borneo Games were so glamorous that the late Balang Lasung, a four-time SEA Games champion, lamented missing out on them since they were no longer held during his time in the 1980s.
Jahar Nor, an 800m specialist who also competed in the 1,500m and 400m hurdles during the Borneo Games era, fondly remembered the abundance of great runners.
“During my time, there were so many 800m runners, like Joe O’Connor, Dilbagh Singh Kler from Sabah, Paul Vatsaloo from Miri, Joseph Mong, and Latif Olen,” he said.
“But now, there are no middle-distance runners. The Games should be revived, but perhaps only once every two years,” added Jahar, who is still active in coaching the Sarawak Sukma women’s team.
Jong Nyan Chong, a silver medalist in the 400m hurdles at the Manila SEA Games in 1982, echoed the sentiment, saying the revival of the Borneo Games would provide athletes with more opportunities to gain exposure and motivation to reach new levels.
However, he pointed out the challenges: “The downside is that youth today are not keen to be involved in athletics due to a lack of encouragement and insufficient time for training. Also, sports like athletics have taken a back seat as there is a lack of viewers when competitions take place.”
John Lee, son of Joseph Lee―a former decathlete and javelin thrower―commented on the historical discontinuation of the Borneo Games after the formation of Malaysia.
“I wasn’t even born during the Borneo Games,” said Lee, a former Sarawak tennis champion who has been working in Kuala Lumpur as a tennis and golf coach.
He also mentioned the potential logistical challenges and high costs if the Games were to include many teams.
The Games were briefly revived in 1985 in the same format but died a natural death when Brunei showed a lack of interest.
They were revived again later with a new format, including a provincial team from Kalimantan, Indonesia, and an invited team from a state in Peninsular Malaysia.
However, the Games lost their luster as they included other sports like football, fencing, archery and badminton, and were primarily used as a testing ground for Sukma preparations rather than featuring top athletes.
While the revival of the Borneo Games is laudable, some suggest that focusing solely on athletics would make the competition more competitive, with match-ups between Borneo rivals providing the bragging rights for being the best in the region.
A return to the old format could breathe new life into the Games, focusing on fostering the spirit of athletic excellence that once captivated the region.
