Chen Lip Keong’s Legacy In Cambodia
Cambodian football said goodbye to one of its finest fathers and a true gentleman on Sunday 10th December. Chen Lip Keong passed away peacefully after a long illness in the USA
Young, Hungry & Wanting Succuss…
As a young man, the 7th richest man in Malaysia, wanted to make his mark on the world. A middle class childhood would afford him more opportunity than most but he was one that never wanted to be known for other people’s accomplishments. His early life would be spent as a doctor until 1994 when he would be there first person to receive a casino license in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Nagacorp was born and over the years the flagship casino resort in Phnom Penh grew into an underground shopping mall and of course Nagaworld FC.
A Love For All Things Football…
Nagaworld at the turn of the century were one of the earliest teams to consistently be winning league championships. Their rivalry with Phnom Penh Crown would set the stage for the development of the game in Cambodia.
However the biggest succuss, according to Chen, was not the trophies but seeing how the game effected society in a positive way.
Nagaworld CSR programs, involving football, are still to this day up there with the best in the country with initiatives raising money, providing access to football and spreading good across the country of Cambodia.
Present Day Ambitions…
The news will shock the club and what it means for future investment could be a concern but for the time being the club will continue their pursuit of the top 4 place this season. The club has an amazing record against the top 3 but for whatever reason can’t seem to beat anyone else.
They will hope to do their owner proud with a strong second half of the season and who knows? Maybe just maybe, they could honor Chen memory by winning the League title for the first time since 2015.