It was during the late 1950s that I had the good fortune of being associated with two potential sports talents in Pasar Road English School, KL when these two boys about nine years old joined the teachers in bowling them out in cricket batting practice after the children’s sports activities were over for the day. They were Ishtiaq Mobarak and Zainon Mat. They were natural sports talents who could excel in any game. Both represented the school in many games.
Ishtiaq who excelled in Hurdles event represented the school at athletics, hockey, football, cricket and rugby and turned out to be one of the nation’s greatest ever hurdlers. Zainon represented the school at athletics, football, hockey, cricket and rugby. He later turned out to be Malaysia’s top spin bowler and eventually the captain of the national team.
I write this on receiving the news that Ishtiaq had passed away aged 65. His father Mubarak Ahmad was then a senior police officer and a former Malayan sprinter and president of FMAAU (predecessor of MAAU) was very often at the school field witnessing and later discussing with teachers on the progress of his son.
Mubarak was especially responsible for the hurdles training of his son. He confirmed with that he had trained his son on hurdling in the compound of his senior officer’s government bungalow. Ishtiaq was already Primary Schools Selangor champion at hurdles, when the school entered him for an under 16 Selangor schools events. He created a sensation by winning this event!
Just before leaving for the next school The father discussed with me about choosing just one sports and we both agreed that it should be hurdles. There were no regrets later. Then on it was glory all the way. His school days at the Victoria Institution saw him setting new 110m hurdles at both state and national Schools Sports Council records. MAAU sent him to Germany for special training and he continued to win SEAP Games and Asian Golds.
His height of achievements was the qualifying for the semi finals at the Olympics in 1976. He joined the Malayan Bank and was jointly responsible with several coaches for Maybank being continuously Champion Bank in the then popular Inter Bank Athletics meet. His Bank achievements in coaching made him a national coach for hurdles bringing him to being appointed as a full time coach in the National Sports Council.
Being a national hit in the sports world has the build up of high expectations from all concerned. The fans, the admirers, the MAAU, the NSC, the employers, etc., are not groups which can be pleased easily when successes are not forthcoming all the time! Ishtiaq, like many other ex athletes or coaches faced lots of emotional strains . Fortunately, for Ishtiaq, his ex national athlete wife, Selvarani, became the stabilising factor in the tumultuous wold of high expectation!
To make matters worse a nasty motorbike accident caused him immense pain in a torturous way forcing him to take non stop pain killers. The trust Selvarani and the children, the close family and friends had in him cleared him of allegations made unjustly on an athlete who was once hero worshipped as an international Hurdler inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Olympic Council of Malaysia.
Only a few weeks ago he rang me to express his gratefulness for my understanding for him. Alas! I sent him a Raya message yesterday and the answer I received yesterday morning that he is no more with us! The great individual he was, though a legend, depicted the life of many of our national greats who endure much agony and hardship after bringing glory to the nation. May the Almighty God Bless his soul.
FMT LETTER: From A Vaithilingam - The writer is a former teacher & MAAU official
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