The man who made Malaysia walk and run together By Frankie D'Cruz

FMT : Few did more to unite the nation through sport than S Vegiyathuman, the “King of Walks and Runs”.

PETALING JAYA : From the 1970s onwards, when Malaysians thronged the streets of Kuala Lumpur for mass walks and runs, it was about more than fitness or medals.

They were part of a quiet revolution led by S Vegiyathuman, the “King of Walks and Runs”, who believed sport was a bridge strong enough to carry a nation together. On Malaysia Day, when the country reflects on what binds its people, his story deserves a place.

For decades, Vegiyathuman showed that patriotism was not only about winning medals. “It was also about walking shoulder to shoulder with strangers, moving forward in unison, celebrating the shared rhythm of being Malaysian,” he said.

In 1989, when Vegiyathuman organised Malaysia’s first 21km half marathon, he was not chasing headlines. He said he wanted ordinary people to discover the joy of testing themselves and being as one.

Before that, he had already helped transform the Malay Mail Big Walk — fondly known as the “Biggie” — into a phenomenon.

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