SINGAPORE - A true leader who was colossal in defence and a gentleman off the pitch are among the vivid descriptions of former Singapore footballer Rahmat Mawar, who died on Tuesday (Oct 29) at the age of 81.
Rahmat's family said that he had been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which causes restricted airflow and breathing problems. He died just after 12.30am at Woodlands Health Campus, leaving behind three daughters and 11 grandchildren.
Rahmat - whose name on his identity card reads Rahmat Mohawar - was a national footballer in the 1960s and 70s and the uncompromising centre back wrote his name into local football history when he became the first man to lift a trophy at the old National Stadium in June 1973.
In what was the first football match to be held at the stadium, Rahmat captained the Singapore Malays, who boasted the likes of Dollah Kassim, Mohamed Noh and Arshad Khamis, to a 4-1 win over Kelantan Malays before lifting the Sultan's Gold Cup in front of a 32,000 crowd.
Rahmat, who led the team to a second Sultan's Gold Cup two years later, was also among the household names during the Malaysia Cup. He was part of the squad who reached the semi-finals in 1974, when the Lions bowed out to eventual champions Penang.
Local football fan A. Thiyaga Raju, who wrote the book, Roar: Football Legends Of Singapore, described Rahmat as "colossal in the heart of defence".
The 63-year-old said: "The last time that I had watched him play for Singapore was in the Malaysia Cup semi-final, first leg against Penang which we won 3-2.
"He was always solid in defence and he was feared by opposing strikers for his stout, determined and ferocious tackles. He was the toughest of centre backs and will always be fondly remembered as the 'Singa' of Singapore football."
Former journalist Jeffrey Low once described Rahmat as someone "whose snarling teeth and handlebar moustache would strike the initial fear before his tackling floored any attacker".
Ho Kwang Hock, a former Lions striker in the 1970s, echoed those sentiments.
The 68-year-old said: "He had a thick moustache and a very 'garang' (fierce) look, so he was very intimidating as a defender. When players were going into a 50-50 challenge and saw him in front of them, they would usually shy away.
"You could tell he was a true leader for his team and like many players of his era, while they were fierce and no-nonsense on the pitch, he was a true gentleman off it. He was a very nice person, very caring and I got to know him better when we worked together at Imperial Hotel later on."
After hanging up his boots, Rahmat became a senior chef at the hotel, where he also captained its football team in the Singapore Business Houses Football League. Later on, he worked as a part-time gardener and landscape supervisor before he retired in 2009.
Shaari Harun, 47, told The Straits Times that while his father-in-law had limited mobility in the latter years, he "had a sharp mind and would regale us with stories from his playing days, not about his heroics but about his rebellious streaks such as how he used to annoy Uncle Choo (former national coach Choo Seng Quee) with his antics in training".
Adding that the family will miss him dearly, Shaari said: "We have heard many stories of how he was very aggressive and fierce during his playing days.
"But you should see how he was with his grandchildren, he was very 'manja' (affectionate) with them and really doted on them. We will all miss him."
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
