This year, the four Members of the Bar who were selected to receive the Malaysian Bar’s Sports Personality of the Year Award were: Rajendra Navaratnam, Robin Lim Dou Shing, Rodzim Zaimy b Abdul Hamid, and Rueben Mathiavaranam.
The presentation ceremony took place at the Malaysian Bar Annual Dinner & Dance 2017, held at the Majestic Ballroom, The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, on 18 Mar 2017.
More information about each recipient follows below.
Rajendra Navaratnam
Rajendra Navaratnam has been playing squash for nearly 40 years, and it has been — and still is — a passion. He does not claim to be a supremely skilled player, but has always enjoyed competitive squash.
He has played at club level, representing the Royal Selangor Club (“RSC”) in the squash leagues (albeit in the lower divisions!) as well as in inter–club and inter–port* games. Rajendra has also served in committees in RSC and the Squash Racquets Association of Federal Territory (“SRAFT”).
He played squash for the Malaysian Bar team in the late eighties when he joined the profession, until the late nineties, and thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship and team spirit under the then–conveners, in particular Chris Foo. The yearly Malaysia/Singapore Bench and Bar Games (“B&B Games”) were the highlight.
He took a break from the Bar team when squash became more competitive in the B&B Games, and it became difficult to make the team.
Fast forward to 2011, when Rajendra was to be in Singapore for a hearing just before the B&B Games weekend, and was surprised to find that he would be able to be part of the Bar team without play–offs, because there were insufficient players.
Although the Malaysian team won that year due to some heroics from the squash teammates (in particular one Jason Lee), Rajendra felt a little sad because it was so difficult to assemble a team, compared to the glory days that he remembers.
He decided to do something about it, and volunteered to be the convener the following year. He has been the squash convener ever since!
Truth be told, he enjoys being able to contribute even though he feels he is not good enough to make the team anymore. And he enjoys the company and the copious beers the team shares, win or lose!
*Inter–port games are inter–club games between “ports”, eg Kuala Lumpur–Singapore or Kuala Lumpur–Penang.
Robin Lim Dou Shing
Robin Lim Dou Shing made his sports debut for the Malaysian Bar in 1991, playing tennis at the Malaysia/Singapore Bench & Bar Games (“B&B Games”) held in Singapore. That same year, he also represented the Kuala Lumpur Bar soccer team in the Tripartite Games held in Sarawak.
Since then, he has been present at almost all B&B Games playing either soccer or tennis, or both.
Robin also served as tennis convener for the Kuala Lumpur Bar team several times during the 1990s, and was also the convener for the Malaysian Bar tennis team from 1995 until the mid–2000s, except for a few years’ break in between.
Word of appreciation
It has been an honour and a privilege to serve and participate in the various sports activities over the years. I dedicate this award to my teammates, past and present, for their support and cooperation, and look forward to the years of participation ahead.
Rodzim Zaimy b Abdul Hamid
Rodzim Zaimy b Abdul Hamid, who was called to the Bar in 1996, has always been active in sports since his school days.
He has been in the Malaysian Bar’s bowling team since that sport was first introduced in the Malaysia/Singapore Bench & Bar Games (“B&B Games”). In 1999, he was appointed the convener of the bowling team, and still serves in that capacity. He has attended every B&B Games without fail since his first year in practice, and hopes to continue in years to come. Even his teammates call him “dictator”!
In his 17 years as convener, the Malaysian team has only lost twice to the Singaporean team.
He seldom attends the Sports Committee meetings; as he once told Jaspal Singh (who was then the Sports Committee Chairperson), “You want me to come for the meeting and lose the point, or don’t come for the meeting and bring back one point?”. Jaspal of course opted for the latter.
Rodzim also plays badminton, and has represented the Selangor Bar since 1999 until the present. He has played for the Malaysian Bar badminton team whenever he is not involved in bowling, as during the friendly games between the Malaysian Bar and Persatuan Advokat Indonesia (“PERADI”), and also against The Law Society of Hong Kong.
In 2016, during the Malaysian Bar–PERADI Friendly Games in Jakarta, due to a shortage of players he was forced into the Malaysian Bar pool team by Peter–Douglas Ling, and he enjoyed every minute of it!
Rodzim also played soccer for the Selangor Bar during his early years in practice, and took part in cross–country at the Tripartite Games in Miri in 2015.
Word of Appreciation
I truly feel very honoured to receive this award. This would not have been possible without the love and support from my lovely wife, Siti Amira bt Saharuddin and my family: your understanding, tolerance, and patience are definitely second to none.
My thanks to the Bar Council and its Sports Committee, the Selangor Bar Committee, supporters, friends and especially the bowling team, for the fellowship, camaraderie and friendship all these years. I will treasure it for the rest of my life.
Last but not least, my special thanks to my late brother Haji Imran Hadzalie b Abdul Hamid, the late Che Khalid b Md Ali, S Ravichandran, Jaspal Singh, Anand Ponnudurai, Francis Ng, Peter–Douglas Ling, and Shegi Nair, for your trust, guidance and support, which will always have a special place in my heart.
Rueben Mathiavaranam
Rueben Mathiavaranam was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1990.
He served as the Malaysian Bar cricket convener from 1994 to 1999, and has represented the Malaysian Bar in cricket in every edition of the Malaysia/Singapore Bench & Bar Games (“B&B Games”) since 1990, except for two occasions due to injury. Rueben continues to represent the Malaysian Bar as the cricket team’s wicket–keeper, until this day.
Apart from the B&B Games, Rueben also participates in the Tiger Cup — an ongoing cricket series between the Western Australian Law Society and the Malaysian Bar — in which the hosting of the match is alternated between the latter and the former in Perth and Kuala Lumpur, respectively.
Outside the sphere of sports, Rueben served on the Bar Council Industrial Court Rules and Practice Sub–Committee for four consecutive terms from the late 1990s to early 2000, and contributed as an examiner for the Bar Council’s Ethics and Professional Standards Course paper for about three years.