TAIPING, Dec 28 — National football legend Shaharuddin Abdullah, who died early this morning, was laid to rest at the Kamunting Islamic Cemetery at 2.30pm today. He was 75.
Earlier, the funeral prayers were held at Masjid Nurul Hidayah in Kampung Bukit Jana, attended by about 200 family members, the deceased’s contemporaries, and the public after the Zohor prayers.
The funeral prayers were led by his grandson Azizul Hakim Azizul Aswad, 15.
The burial ceremony was completed at 3pm, attended by about 100 family members, close friends, and local football fans.
Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) personnel and the Prisons Department in Taiping also provided assistance.
The renowned striker, known by the nicknames ‘The Black Cat’ and ‘Sharpshooter,’ passed away at the Taiping Hospital at around 5.15am today.
Shaharuddin was admitted to the hospital on Sunday (December 24) due to asthma and passed away 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, he was a crucial figure in the country’s football history, donning the Harimau Malaya jersey from 1968 to 1981 and winning 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
