Young footballer gets surprise visit from minister

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YOUNG Malaysian footballer Tam Sheang Tsung was all excited when a surprise customer visited his parents’ Rasa Malaysian Cuisine Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan recently.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek who was in Japan to watch the Malaysian football team play in the 2012 London Olympics Asian Zone final round qualifying tournament, visited the restaurant while he was there.

Tam’s mother Ang Hui Chin said the minister spent some time chatting with some Malaysian students and also spoke to her son, enquiring on his current training at the J-league Division 2 team FC Mito HollyHock.

Proud moment: Sheang Tsung (right) with Shabery during the minister’s visit to Japan to witness the Malaysian football team play in the Asian Zone final round qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.

“The minister also had a meal here, eating dishes like rojak mamak, satay, seafood tom yam and bubur cha cha,” said Ang via an email interview.

The 16-year-old Sheang Tsung recently made a name for himself when he was selected to train for the English Championship club Cardiff City this year.

Sheang Tsung had rushed back to the restaurant after his training in Mito, which is about 120km away from Tokyo to greet the minister, who wrote some words of encouragement on his football.

Sheang Tsung said he was currently taking up an off campus course due to the hectic training schedules.

He returned from Cardiff after the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Mito was one of the affected areas.

“I grew up in Japan so I would like to play a big part in rebuilding this devastated area by making appearances in friendly matches.

“The Cardiff stint was a great experience for me. I enjoyed the peaceful life there and I liked my coach.

“My homestay parents have been very helpful,” he said, adding that his most memorable experience there was meeting his idol Craig Bellamy.

He currently trains twice daily at FC Mito and cycles 9km from his club hostel to the training ground. “Right now, I’m just going to concentrate on my training and try to get a place in the first team,” he said.