JALAN Jiran 1 in Bagan Dalam is now officially renamed Jalan M. Kuppan to honour the late Penang football great Datuk M. Kuppan.
Jalan M. Kuppan, which is about 150m in length, links Jalan Heap Seng Whatt and Jalan Bagan Baru 1.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the late M. Kuppan will be greatly remembered with a road here renamed after him.
“This initiative is not only to recognise his contribution to Penang but also to the country.
“As we know, the late national footballer and coach Datuk M. Kuppan had contributed a lot to the state and country.
“Kuppan was best remembered for his agility in attacking, which earned him the nicknames ‘Black Panther of Penang’ and ‘Jetboots’.
“He was also a member of the national squad that won the gold at the 1961 SEAP Games.
“Kuppan, who was born in Butterworth, was a clerk with the Penang Port Commission (PPC) in 1958 and was drafted into the Penang state team the same year. He worked with PPC for 31 years.
“Kuppan also helped the Penang football team win the HMS Malaya Cup in 1958 and he was in the national team which won the Merdeka tournament that year,” Chow said in his speech during the launching of the road signage today.
The launching was part of Chow’s ‘Jelajah ❤️ Penang’ programme at the Bagan parliamentary constituency today.
Also present were state Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy, Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Azhar Arshad and K. Siva Prakesh, who is the son of the late M. Kuppan.
Chow added that Kuppan represented the country for eight years up to 1965.
“He also played 10 seasons for Penang, retiring in 1967.
“Kuppan was bestowed the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP), which carries the title Datuk, in 2005; and the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN), which carries the title Dato’, from the Penang Governor in 2013.
“Thus, to honour and recognise all of Kuppan’s achievements, the state government has agreed to rename Jalan Jiran 1 to Jalan M. Kuppan.
“And I hope through such recognition, the late Kuppan’s name will continue to flourish among the younger generation in football,” said Chow.
Siva expressed his utmost gratitude and appreciation to the state government, Satees and Lim for the initiative to rename Jalan Jiran 1 to Jalan M. Kuppan.
“As his son, I feel very proud of this recognition for my late father.
“This road is special as my late father used to train at a field located next to it.
“Today, the field remains a popular spot among football players in the area and the community would feel proud of the road named after him.
“Special thanks also to YB Satees for working very hard to make sure the proposal to rename the road here is successful within a short period,” he said.
Kuppan passed away on Dec 30, 2021, at the age of 85, leaving behind his wife and three sons.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Ahmad Adil Muhamad