National Football Legend Shaharuddin Abdullah Laid To Rest

TAIPING, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- National football legend, Shaharuddin Abdullah, who died early this morning, was laid to rest  at the Kamunting Islamic Cemetery at around 2:30 pm today. He was 75. 

Earlier, the funeral prayers were held at the Nurul Hidayah Mosque in Kampung Bukit Jana, attended by about 200 family members, contemporaries of the deceased, and the public after the Zohor prayers. The funeral prayers was led by his grandson Azizul Hakim Azizul Aswad, 15. .

The burial ceremony was completed at 3 pm, attended by about 100 family members, close friends, and local football fans.

Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and the Prisons Department in Taiping also assisted.

The renowned striker, known by the nicknames 'The Black Cat' and 'Sharpshooter,' passed away at the Taiping Hospital at around 5:15 am today. 

He was admitted to the hospital on Sunday due to asthma and breathed his last surrounded by his children.

He was the younger brother of another national football legend, the late Datuk Namat Abdullah, who represented Malaysia in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games with the Harimau Malaya team.

Shaharuddin leaves behind seven children, and two of them, Shafiq, 29, and Shahwan, 28, follow in his footsteps in playing football.

A native of Bagan Dalam, Butterworth, Penang, the striker was a crucial figure in the country's football history, donning the Harimau Malaya jersey from 1968 to 1981 and won bronze in the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran, Iran.

In addition to bringing glory to the country, Shaharuddin was also one of the heroes who brought the Malaysia Cup to Penang in 1974 by defeating Perak 2-1, securing the trophy for the first time since 1958.

-- BERNAMA