(From left) Namat, Wan Zawawi, Syed Ahmad and Abdul Shukor at a gathering in 2014.
THIS year marks the 50th anniversary of the historic bronze medal-winning feat by the Malaysian national football team at the Asian Games in Teheran, Iran, in 1974.
It was a golden year for Malaysian football. The squad emerged third at the Asian Games – the best-ever achievement by Harimau Malaya. And they did it by beating North Korea 2-1 – with a brace from Isa Bakar – to clinch the bronze medal on Sept 15, just a day before Malaysia Day.
(From left) Both Santokh and Soh retired from international football in the mid-1980s.
The Malaysians played scintillating football to beat the Philippines 11-0, draw with Japan 1-1 and 0-0 with Iraq, and beat South Korea 3-2.
This team brought so much pride and joy to the thousands of fans who watched them play. They evoked patriotism in us and sacrificed a lot for the love of the game and loyalty to the country.
Their names continue to evoke memories, although many of them have passed on. They were outstanding in their own special ways.
The late Namat Abdullah, who passed away in 2020, had wished to reunite with all his teammates.
Unfortunately, no one took the initiative to gather all the remaining team members.
Hopefully, the Football Association of Malaysia can make the first move to hold a reunion of the “Class of 1974” as a perfect National Day gift.
The team members were:
1. Datuk R. Arumugam (died 1988)
2. Datuk Namat Abdullah (died 2020)
3. Datuk Soh Chin Aun
4. Datuk M. Chandran (died 2019)
5. Datuk Santokh Singh
6. Datuk Abdul Shukor Salleh
7. Wong Choon Wah (died 2014)
8. Datuk Mohammed Bakar (died 2020)
9. Isa Bakar (died 2010)
10. Datuk Mokhtar Dahari (died 1991)
11. Shaharuddin Abdullah (died 2023)
12. Syed Ahmad Syed Abu Bakar (died 2022)
13. Wan Zawawi Wan Yusof (died 2017)
14. Wong Kam Fook
15. Harun Jusoh (died 2023)
For more stories go to StarSpecial: National Day 2024
