Sports Journalist Compiles 2018 Malaysia Cup Final In Book

By Razif Rosli

IPOH, June 17 (Bernama) -- A decade of experience as a sports journalist has prompted Meor Abdullah Syamim Meor Lod Ismail to document precious moments in the national sports arena so that they remain in the memories of fans.

The 37-year-old sports journalist from The Vocket chose to immortalize the dramatic journey of the 2018 Malaysia Cup final between Perak and Terengganu through the book "KEJOR: 120 Crazy Minutes in Shah Alam", which was launched here recently.

Speaking to Bernama, he said the role of media practitioners today is no longer limited to reporting match results alone.

"In the fast-moving era of social media, digital content is easily lost, while physical books can archive an event that last for decades. That is why documentation like this is important so that the history of local football is not lost to time," he said.

Explaining why he chose the final at the Shah Alam Stadium to be documented, Meor Abdullah Syamim said the match not only tested emotions, but also brought together thousands of supporters and left memories that are still fresh to this day.

“The desire to produce this book was born from a sense of responsibility to ensure that Perak's journey to lift the 2018 Malaysia Cup continues to be remembered by future generations. It is a historic event that is too big to forget,” he said.

The book focuses on Perak's journey in the dramatic final action that saw The Bos Gaurus came back from two goals down, a red card and a goal in the last minute before ending an 18-year wait to lift the Malaysia Cup through a penalty shootout.

Meor Abdullah Syamim said he himself thought Terengganu would emerge as the champion and had completed a report in favour of the Turtles before Perak's comeback changed everything at the end of the match.

Sharing the process of producing the book, he said it began at the end of December 2025 and took about five months to complete.

“The biggest challenge was obtaining detailed information from various parties including former players, coaches and their own supporters to ensure that the manuscript truly reflects the real atmosphere during the 2018 campaign,” he said.

The book is priced at RM39.90 and is currently available through his Facebook and TikTok pages, before being expanded to the TikTok Shop and Shopee platforms in the near future.

He added that the first print run received an encouraging response when 220 out of 300 copies were sold through pre-orders.

-- BERNAMA