SINGAPORE - Former national goalkeeper Lim Chiew Peng died on Sunday (Nov 27) after losing his fight with cancer.

The 65-year-old was warded at Singapore General Hospital.

He was Singapore's first-choice goalkeeper during the early 1970s and was part of the team that won the 1977 Malaysia Cup.

Former Lions coach Jita Singh,who selected Lim as his No. 1 for the 1978 King's Cup in Bangkok, said Lim's passing was a "sad loss for Singapore football".

He said: "Chiew Peng was someone who always gave 200 per cent and even when his playing days were slowing down, he was always on hand to guide the young players and help in any way that he could. He was sick from his cancer for a while but fought till the end, which was typical of him."

Lim's former national team-mate S Rajagopal was saddened by the news but added that "at least he's no longer suffering, which is good".

The ex-Lions midfielder noted: "I remember meeting Chiew Peng for the first time in the early 1970s. He was one of the best goalkeepers in South-east Asia but was always such a humble guy and stayed like that throughout his career."

After he retired, Lim helped S-League club Tampines Rovers with some goalkeeping coaching duties and worked at Komoco Motors, where former Rovers chairman Teo Hock Seng is the managing director.