King sends football greats to visit ailing Namat

Abdah Alif (seated second from left) with Soh Chin Aun (on his left) together with several ex-internationals and former Penang players talking to Namat (in wheelchair) at his daughter’s home in Taiping this afternoon.

PETALING JAYA: Several former Malaysian football internationals visited cancer-stricken football legend Namat Abdullah in Taiping today, by royal command.

Abdah Alif, a special officer to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, said the King instructed him to gather a few former players of the national team, and to convey his message to Namat to remain strong.

Abdah, himself a former Malaysian midfielder, said the King also extended his well wishes to Namat, and gave an undisclosed amount of money for his medical expenses.

He said Namat, a defender capped 115 times by Malaysia, was touched by the King’s message and his gesture in sending his representatives to visit him.

“He was in high spirits, looked well and was happy to see us,” said Terengganu-born Abdah, a former international who also played for his state and Pahang.

The other ex-internationals who accompanied Abdah were his brother Yunus, former national skipper and president of Ex-Internationals Football Association, Soh Chin Aun, Ahmad Yusof, former Penang players Khalil Hashim and Azdzmi Md Nor, Pahang FA’s Ramli Mahmud and Perak executive councillor Khairil Shahril.

FMT today ran a story with a moving picture of a frail Namat getting encouragement from his former teammates to keep fighting. - FMT