For Shirley Chow, the moment felt part birthday celebration, part reunion — and part history lesson made right.
Forty-six years after being named Malaysia’s sportswoman of the year in 1979, the former national bowler finally received the RM5,000 cash award that had never been paid.
The recognition came from the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) at a dinner in Ipoh last Saturday, led by secretary-general Maradona Chok and attended by Perak bowling officials.
It was, in every sense, overdue — but not demanded. Shirley had never asked for the money.
The new MTBC administration only discovered the decades-old oversight after FMT reports highlighted the unfulfilled promises made to Malaysia’s sportsmen and sportswomen between 1966 and 1982.
“Once we found out, we wanted to make it right immediately,” said Chok. “Shirley gave so much to the sport, and it was only right to honour her properly.”
The gesture follows last month’s presentation to JB Koo, the 1979 sportsman of the year, who not only received his overdue payment but also saw a 37-year suspension finally lifted.
Together, their recognition closes one of Malaysian bowling’s most neglected chapters.
Chow, who turned 70 on October 2, was visibly moved by the occasion.
“It’s heartening to see that people still remember,” she said. “I bowled because I loved the game, not for rewards. But this means a lot.”
Chok added that the evening also became a quiet reminder of Shirley’s lasting influence.
“She’s still so passionate and energetic,” he said. “One of her former students, Chong Yew Jin, even visited her with his Sukma medal — that kind of respect is rare these days.”
Until two years ago, Shirley was still coaching in Perak, guiding generations of young bowlers, some of whom are now established players.
Her legacy, quietly built in the lanes of Ipoh, endures not through trophies but through the athletes she inspired.
For MTBC, the payment wasn’t about catching up with history, but about honouring it.
As Chok put it, “We can’t change the past, but we can make sure it’s remembered with the respect it deserves.”
