Former national footballer Namat Abdullah dies aged 74

PETALING JAYA: The nation has lost one of its finest footballers.

Former national defender Datuk Namat Abdullah (pic) has passed away at the age of 74, after a long battle with intestinal cancer.

The former 1972 Olympics player passed away at his son-in-law’s residence in Taiping at 5.30 pm on Thursday (Dec 17).

His body will be brought to his residence in Taman Peruda, Sungai Petani today and his funeral will be done tomorrow at 9am.

The Football Association of Malaysia is deeply saddened by Dato’ Namat’s passing. "I had the opportunity to speak to him via video conferencing in November, hoping to have the chance to visit him," said FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin.

"His passing is a great loss to the footballing fraternity. The year 2020 has been a sad year as we lost three Olympians who featured in the Munich Games in 1972 – Dato’ Namat, Dato’ Mohamad Bakar and V. Krishnasamy."