Former football star Ahmad Nazari dies

MYT 8:41:33 PM

TAIPING: One of the country’s former football greats, Ahmad Nazari Min Zohari, died on Sunday at the age of 72. 

The remains of the fullback, who played alongside the likes of Datuk Abdul Ghani Minhat and Jalil Che Din since the late 1950s, was buried at the Assam Kumbang Muslim cemetery here about 2.30pm Monday. 

His eldest son Safri said his father underwent an operation for thyroid cancer at the Taiping Hospital here about a week ago and was subsequently put on life support for five days after he failed to recover. 

“About two years ago, he was hit by a major stroke but he managed to recover fully. 

“But two weeks ago, blisters were detected on his neck and it was subsequently discovered that he was suffering of thyroid cancer,” said Safri. 

When his condition did not improve after the operation, Safri said the family decided to take him back to his house in Assam Kumbang on Sunday but he died on the way home at about 4.45pm. 

Ahmad Nazari represented both the then Malaya and Perak football teams from 1957 to 1962 before taking up tennis and playing in inter-state tennis tournaments for the Perak Malays team from the 1970s to early 1990s, said Safri. 

Perak midfielder Ahmad Shahrul Azhar, who is Ahmad Nazari's grandson, was also present at the burial. 

Ahmad Nazari is survived by his wife Zuraidah Haji Abdul Rahman, five children and 15 grandchildren.