LEGENDARY badminton player Datuk Misbun Sidek’s (pic) passion is not just focused on the badminton court, but on fishing as well, Mingguan Malaysia reported.
“The biggest fish I ever caught was a 120kg ikan kerapu naga,” said the eldest of the famous Sidek brothers.
Misbun, 63, said fishing, just like badminton, has been a part of him since he was a child.
“Our old house was in Banting. There was a drain nearby where many people went fishing.
“I tried it when I was a little kid and I have been hooked ever since,” he said.
Among his siblings, only Datuk Seri Jalani and Rahman would accompany him fishing, but not Rashid or Razif.
This, he said, could be due to their age gap.
He also disclosed that he had spent thousands of ringgit buying fishing equipment.
Going as far as Australia and New Zealand to pursue his hobby, Misbun said there was not much difference between badminton and fishing.
“It requires a lot of research. For example, if you go fishing in a pond, you must know when the fish is most active.
“Patience and discipline also comes into play for both endeavours,” he said.
> Carrying 30 bags of sand, each weighing 35kg, on his motorcycle is the daily routine for cemetery caretaker Azmi Jahaya, Berita Harian reported.
“The soil at old cemeteries often erode, so (more) sand is needed to maintain the graves,” he said.
“I would collect the sand in the morning and late afternoon at the beaches nearby Kuala Muda, Penaga, Kepala Batas.
“The sand is placed in a plastic bag. I collect at least 30 bags daily for the upkeep of the graves,” said Azmi, 64.
He has been doing this for the past six months without getting any pay.
It was his way of honouring the dead, he said.
“I often start collecting sand at 7am once my shift ends,” said Azmi, referring to his job as a security guard at a school.
Despite his age, Azmi said that the 10 years of serving in the army previously had toughened him up, which was why he was able to carry out the task alone.
“I am grateful for the strength to be able to do this,” he said.
● The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.
