PETALING JAYA: Former national footballer and coach Datuk M. Kuppan has passed away at the age of 84.

       Kuppan, who suffered from osteoarthritis, passed away on Thursday (Dec 30) at 5.30pm in Kuala Lumpur.

       The funeral will be held in his home state, Penang, on Friday (Dec 31).

       In his first season with Penang in 1957, Kuppan lifted the Malaysia Cup.

       In the same year, he also earned a call-up to the national team that went on to win the Merdeka Cup.

       He represented Malaysia for eight years until 1965 and featured in 10 seasons for Penang before injury forced him to retire in 1967.

       Once his playing career was over, Kuppan turned to coaching and helmed the national team from 1972-78. Malaysia lifted the Thailand King’s Cup trophy twice in 1975 and 1976, and also the Merdeka Cup in 1976 under his tenure.

       As coach of Penang (1972-74), he led the islanders to their fourth Malaysia Cup title in 1974.

       It remains the state’s final triumph in the country’s oldest football competition.