YES TO ISA!

YES, this would probably the first and last time I will SAY YES TO ISA. My friend ISA BAKAR passed on yesterday in Penang.

The last time I met up with Isa Bakar was during a ceremah during the Permatang Pauh by-election. He always greeted me in impeccable Hokkien, knowing my deficiency in that dialect.Truth be told Isa taught me a few choice expressions in Hokkien that stood me in good stead here in KL. I knew Isa from the early 70's when he represented Malaysia. When you hear laughter from the 6th floor of the old FAM HOUSE in the former Jalan Birch where the National Players were bunked in just double decker dormitory, you know that Ali Bakar is needling Spiderman Arumugam or vice versa. THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF THE MALAYSIAN FOOTBALL GREATS HERE..... those days that belonged to Isa, Mokhtar, Chin Nan, Santokh, Aru, Wong Choon Wah, Reduan, James Wong, Hassan Sani, Shukor, Nimat and of course his late brother Ali Bakar. Those days are long gone, but the memories of these greats, I will cherish.

To me the measure of a man is how he passed on and when. Isa’s demise was fast and in the holy month of Ramadan. ISA, now that you are with Tuhan Allah, shoot a few goals for us Anak Bangsa Malaysia.

AL FATIHAH ISA