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Businessman, lawyer, and prominent Malaysian badminton patron Datuk Seri Andrew Kam Tai Yeow has died at the age of 64
His death was confirmed by his daughter, Hannah Kam, FMT reported.
Andrew was the son of former MCA secretary-general Tan Sri Kam Woon Wah and a second-generation lawyer who went on to build a diverse business career spanning power generation, property development, mining, and plantations.
He was married to Datin Seri Gazel Kam and was the founder and patron of the Kuala Lumpur Racket Club (KLRC), which became an alternative pathway for Malaysian badminton players seeking to compete professionally outside the national set-up.
From law to business
Born on 2 February 1962, Andrew began his career in law before moving into business.
Before turning 30, he established Hypergantic Sdn Bhd to initiate a power generation project that would eventually become Port Dickson Power in Negeri Sembilan.
He later became involved in gold mining in Raub, Pahang, while continuing to build interests across several industries.
Despite his business and legal career, badminton remained a major part of his life.
Andrew was known for spending much of his free time on the badminton courts, and his passion for the sport eventually led him to establish KLRC and personally fund its operations.
Andrew gave badminton players another route to the professional circuit
KLRC was built around a merit-based philosophy, giving talented shuttlers the opportunity and support to compete at the highest level.
The club also provided a second chance to players whose careers might otherwise have stalled outside the national set-up, allowing them to continue competing based on their ability and potential.
Its reach extended beyond Malaysia, with Andrew sponsoring players from Australia and other countries and supporting their efforts to compete on the international circuit.
Among the prominent Malaysian players supported by KLRC were former All England champion Hafiz Hashim, world junior champion Zulfadli Zulkifli and former Dutch Open champion Sairul Amar Ayob.
In 2008, Andrew succeeded Malaysian badminton great Punch Gunalan as president of the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Association after being elected unopposed.
The position also saw him serve as a vice-president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia.
He offered a RM2 million gold bar for Malaysia's first Olympic gold
Andrew's support for Malaysian badminton became particularly memorable ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.
He offered the country's badminton players a 12.5kg gold bar worth RM2 million if they won Malaysia's first Olympic gold medal.
The "Gold for Gold" offer attracted international attention, with Andrew saying at the time: "I can produce gold, and I believe they, too, can produce gold."
His support for the sport continued in the years that followed.
In 2015, he stepped in with RM1 million in sponsorship for the Petaling Jaya Badminton Club after learning that it had yet to secure a sponsor for its Purple League campaign.
Hannah remembers her father as a formidable personality
Away from his professional and sporting commitments, Andrew was remembered by his daughter as someone who lived life on his own terms.
Hannah described her father as having a formidable personality, a sharp mind, and a tremendous zest for life.
"He was a real people person, living life fully and on his own terms, with a determination that was almost impossible to extinguish. Whatever life placed in his path, he met it head-on. Above all, he was always unmistakably himself," she said.
Andrew is survived by his wife, Gazel Kam, and daughter Hannah.
His funeral service will be held at Wesley Methodist Church in Kuala Lumpur at 10am tomorrow, followed by burial at Nirvana Memorial Park in Shah Alam.
The late Andrew Kam with his daughter, Hannah Kam.
Image via Hannah Kam