Ron retired on July 1, 1993 as commander of the Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom) based in Sibu, Sarawak, after 36 years of service.
Along the way, he saw plenty of action at the height of the communist terrorist insurgency, the Confrontation with Indonesia between 1963 and 1966, and the two Emergency periods (1948-1960 and 1967-1989).
Sadly, the 83-year-old died at his Taman Perwira, Ampang Jaya home on Saturday. His former army comrade, Lt Col (Rtd) Patrick Johan van Geyzel, said he had received a call from Ron’s domestic helper Zulaifa Abdul Rahim that morning.
“She told me Ron had been in good health and had had a hearty dinner the night before followed by breakfast the next day. Suddenly, he vomited black blood” owing to internal stomach issues.
“Paramedics could not save him and he died shortly thereafter at about 10.25am,” van Geyzel said of his close friend, whom he described as a “very generous” person.
“He was always hosting parties at his house during Christmas and Deepavali, which were always packed with friends. He was a wonderful boss, companion, and a colourful character. I will very dearly miss him.”
Van Geyzel had in recent years assisted Ron for regular physiotherapy at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital, following knee surgery that led him to require a walker and wheelchair to move about.
Former Army Division One commander major-general Toh Choon Siang said Ron was survived by his American wife Janne “Joanne” Prescott Mahendran, who lives in Malaysia, and children Jonathan and Sarah, who are based in California. They are due to arrive from the US this week.
“The Royal Ranger’s Regiment is preparing for a funeral service with full military honours, as Ron had also served as the regiment’s seventh chairman between 1987 and 1992,” Toh added.
He recalled how Ron had been a perfectionist, a taskmaster, and a great sportsman who excelled not only at golf but was equally prolific at pool and billiards.
“He believed sports helped him forge closer ties with those in the uniformed services and the corporate world, apart from inculcating patience and improving his decision-making skills,” Toh shared.
Ron served as the secretary, vice-president and president of the Armed Forces Golf Association, after which he was the general manager of the Malaysian Golf Association, as well as a committee member of the Golf Referees Association of Malaysia.
On June 14, 2018, Ron hung up his golf clubs for good when he clocked out as the GM of the Professional Golf Association of Malaysia after eight years.
Ron, who grew up on Jalan Scott in Brickfields, was one of two children. His father, Sinnadurai Sinnappah, was the head of the federal secretariat in KL during the British administration.
After completing studies at Victoria Institution, Ron attended the Boys Wing of the Royal Military College before enlisting there with the 2nd Intake of Regular Service Commission cadets.
He was commissioned as a second-lieutenant with the Federation Regiment’s Reconnaissance Corps on Dec 13, 1959. In July 1961, Ron was part of the second batch of Malaysian peacekeepers sent to serve with the United Nations Mission in Congo for two years.
In 1972, he attended the Canadian Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Kingston, Ontario. Later back home, he was transferred to the Royal Ranger Corps before being promoted to brigadier-general in 1987.
Retired Royal Malaysian Air Force pilot brigadier-general Soon Lian Cheng recalled how he became acquainted with Ron in 1971, when both served at the Armed Forces Staff College at Haigate.
“We continued close contact when he later became the Rascom commander in Sibu and I was a commander in Kuching. We often caught up during frontline operations and shared fond memories,” Soon recalled.
Their friendship continued during a 3.5-month course at the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, in 1979.
“This charted not only our prolific careers but strengthened our relationship. We shared many glorious moments together during our long military careers, even though we were from different units and wore different uniforms,” Soon concluded.