PENANG has lost a devoted educator and athletics official with the passing of Thanabalan Arumugam (pix above) on Wednesday, aged 92.
According to his daughter, Shamini, the beloved figure, fondly known as Balan in the athletics fraternity, had been unwell for some time and succumbed to pneumonia and related complications at Penang Hospital.
“He was a very kind and loving father — always disciplined, meticulous, and with a good sense of humour,” Shamini shared.
An affable presence both on and off the track, Balan played a pivotal role in numerous athletics championships from the 1970s to the 1990s, mainly as a technical official. He served as race director of the Penang International Marathon for nine years, prior to the advent of the Penang Bridge Run and later, the Penang Bridge International Marathon. During those years, the marathon’s main sponsors were Cathay Pacific and later Malaysia Airlines.
Injured in his left leg by stray shrapnel during World War II at the age of nine, Balan walked with a slight limp after recovery. Despite this, his passion for sports never waned. He remained active in long-distance cycling, swimming, hill climbing, sand running, cricket, and badminton.
Beginning his teaching career at just 20 years old, Balan taught at Francis Light School, Hutchings School, and Jelutong English School. He spent 27 years at Jelutong English School, the last 10 as Senior Assistant, before being promoted as headmaster of Westlands Secondary School. He retired from teaching in 1985 and later served as director of the Westlands Sports Excellence Centre from 1992 to 1997.
In the sporting arena, Balan was renowned for his skills in planning and administration, particularly in athletics. A Grade One (Track and Field) official, he officiated at numerous local and international meets, including serving on the Jury of Appeal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Fellow veteran official Lionel Rajamoney describes Balan as “a humble, honest and God-fearing man.”
“He was with me officiating at almost every sports meet in Penang. I’ve known him for over 40 years, and we were family friends.
“To put it mildly, I lost a great friend in Thanabalan. He was very approachable and had no enemies,” said Lionel, a respected coach.
Lionel recalled one memorable event working alongside Balan — the 1991 Formula 1 Powerboat Race, hosted for the first time in open seas off the Batu Uban coast.
“We were in charge of deciphering the results. The boats were racing at a fast pace. He and I coordinated with stopwatches, and after the races, we sat down together to compile the final results, which, thankfully, no one objected to,” Lionel recounted.
Datuk Dr Yee Thiam Sun, commander of the Penang St John Ambulance, also paid tribute to Balan.
“It’s very difficult to find a man like Thanabalan — so capable and experienced. After retirement, he devoted his time mainly to sports, serving the MSSPP (Penang State Schools Sports Council). He was selfless, always willing to learn, willing to teach, and willing to share his knowledge.
“He was the man behind many major events in Penang, especially the Penang Marathon and the Penang Bridge International Marathon, which became immensely popular.
“When we started the Penang Marathon in 1982 under the leadership of Datuk Seri Syed Mohamed Aidid, we formed a committee that included Balan.
“We successfully secured AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) membership for the Penang Marathon, chiefly because Balan submitted a detailed report and analysis during a meeting in the Philippines. It was remarkable because AIMS had never granted membership so quickly before,” Dr Yee recalled.
The success of the Penang Marathon also paved the way for Dr Yee’s admission to the International Marathon Medical Directors’ Association (IMMDA). This later led him to organise an international sports medicine symposium in Penang that drew sports scientists from around the world.
Dr Yee also remembered the same 1991 F1 Powerboat Race, when a harrowing accident occurred. While Lionel and Balan were recording lap times, the boat driven by South Africa’s Peter Lindenberg flipped and crashed.
“Lindenberg was underwater and in a coma for more than four minutes. We managed to rescue him,” said Dr Yee, who administered first aid together with the Osprey Powerboat Rescue Team from the United Kingdom.
Lindenberg was rushed to Lam Wah Ee Hospital, where he eventually recovered.
“When I visited him in the hospital, he told me he wanted to quit racing. I told him he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to decide. ‘Please wait and make the decision later,’ I advised him. He did and went on to become world champion three more times,” said Dr Yee, who also specialises in sports medicine.
Podim Hatia, secretary of the Penang Masters Athletics Association, expressed gratitude to Balan for his generosity and mentorship.
“He was always willing to share his knowledge. He would go out of his way to guide me and others who wanted to learn. He had a golden heart and was always cheerful. I don’t think anyone ever saw him angry,” Podim said.
Long-time friends P. Ramakrishnan and his wife, Liew Poh Yuk, also mourned Balan’s passing.
Ramakrishnan said Balan played an important role in the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Penang Branch, working alongside C. Ramanathan to strengthen the association and serving as a representative at several Annual Delegates Conferences.
“When the NUT went on strike in 1967, he was the only one from his school who walked out to join the strike. The rest resigned! He was a staunch union supporter. We salute him for his courage and commitment. Personally, we will miss him,” said Ramakrishnan, former president of Aliran for 18 years and editor of Aliran Monthly for 30 years.
V. Govindasamy, secretary of the Penang Amateur Athletics Association (PAAA), said that in recent years, Balan often engaged in thoughtful discussions with close athletics friends on topics such as sports development, sports archives, and digital data storage.
He noted that “Uncle Balan” was well known for writing detailed reports after every competition to improve athletics administration. His insightful reports and articles for PAAA and other events, including the USM TOT, Penang Open, Round the Houses Relay, and Round the Island Relay, became invaluable references for athletes and organisers alike.
“Known for his discipline and punctuality, Uncle Balan set an excellent example for young officials and athletes to follow.
“We’ve truly lost a legend. His wisdom, intellectual discussions, and unwavering passion for athletics will be dearly missed and forever remembered by all who knew him,” Govindasamy said.
Family ties were equally dear to Balan, who valued keeping them strong through regular gatherings. He married Kamala Devi in 1953, and together they raised six children, two daughters and four sons, and were blessed with eight grandchildren. His wife passed away in 1994 after more than 40 years of marriage.
His deep interest in tracing family roots led to one of his proudest achievements — a Malaysia Book of Records entry in December 2000 for organising a family reunion in Ipoh, Perak, that drew 600 attendees from 1,200 identified descendants.
Many family members, relatives and friends gathered at Balan’s home in Solok Tembaga, Island Park, to pay their final respects during the funeral service today, before the cortege departed for cremation at the Batu Gantong Hindu Crematorium.
Story by K.H. Ong