MALAYSIAN sports were left in shock yesterday by the sudden death of 27-year-old recurve archer Haziq Kamaruddin, who had been training for the Tokyo Olympics.
Haziq, one of the country's most successful archers, collapsed at his home in Sungai Long, Kajang, on the second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
He suffered chills in the morning before losing consciousness.
An ambulance took Haziq to Kajang Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He will be buried in Melaka today.
The hospital also did a Covid swab test on Haziq, and the result was negative.
Haziq, who last trained on May 12, was among the national athletes who had taken two doses of Covid-19 vaccination.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican urged the public not to spread rumours that Haziq died from the two Covid injections.
"Let's wait for the post-mortem report and not blame it on the two vaccine doses."
Reezal said it was irresponsible of people to make such speculation on Haziq's death.
"We have to respect the feelings of his family. If you want to make any conclusion, wait for the post-mortem.
"Let us be responsible citizens. If anything we feel now, feel the sadness and sorrow of the family," he said.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah expressed their condolences to the family of Haziq yesterday.
According to a statement on Istana Negara's Facebook page, the King and Queen were saddened by the Olympian's death and hoped that his family would be patient and strong in facing this difficult moment in the month of Syawal.
"Their Majesties highly appreciate his services, contributions and sacrifices as a national athlete and describe his passing as a huge loss for Malaysian sports.
"Their Majesties also pray for his soul to be blessed by Allah and placed among the righteous," the statement read.
Haziq's national teammate, Zulfadhli Ruslan, was among those who made known Haziq's death early yesterday.
"Assalamualaikum, I regret to inform you that my friend Haziq Kamaruddin had returned to his creator this morning. May his soul be showered with blessings and placed among the pious. Let's pray for him. Al-Fatihah," Zulfadhli wrote on his Facebook account.
Haziq, who competed in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, was getting ready to travel to South Korea and France for Olympics qualifying competitions.
"He was supposed to compete in the recurve men's team event in the South Korea Olympic qualifier and move to France (June 16) for the final qualifier," said National Sports Council Director General Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail.
"He was trying to win one of the three remaining spots on offer for Tokyo.
"Both the tournaments were supposed to be held under the bubble concept."
Haziq, who had been with the national team for the past 10 years, won four medals in the World Cup series: two silver in Shanghai, 2011, and in Medellin, 2013, and two bronze in Salt Lake City, 2017 and 2018.
He was also a member of the national men's recurve team that won silver at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, which was a first for Malaysia then.