Engaging: Khalilul speaking to the youngsters who are part of the grassroots programme. — Photos by Kamal Aziz and Shah Amirul
PETALING JAYA: Football was not his first love but Khalilul Rahman Mokhtaruddin has played a role for many to fall in love with the game.
Growing up in Bukit Bandaraya in Bangsar, he wasn’t the first pick when it came to playing football at the neighbourhood park and would always play as a goalie since he was on the chubbier side.
But what kept Khalilul going back to join in the daily evening football sessions with his buddies was the sense of community and camaraderie that it brought.
“It didn’t matter how you played but everyone was there to unwind after a long day of school before we got ready for night tuition classes.
“I loved the sense of togetherness in football, in a way that’s why I took it forward to what I’m doing now,” said Khalilul, or what everyone knows him as, Brother Khal.
What started as a Twitter account in 2014, PadangBolaSepak (PBS) has now become a community hub of over 800 members in their WhatsApp community with 20 to 30 sessions of social football a month.
“When PBS had about 30,000 followers, I figured it wouldn’t be hard to get 30 people to play futsal. Well, it just snowballed from there.
“From once a week, to twice, then playing 11-a-side football, to now having so many sessions monthly, it’s amazing to see,” he said.
With their growing presence in the Klang Valley, PBS has also gone on to collaborate with the Football Association of Selangor (FAS) in May last year and has since organised 20 sessions a month with the support of the association.
The players celebrating after their match. — Photos by Kamal Aziz and Shah Amirul
PBS has also been providing coaching lessons for over 20 kids from various People’s Housing Projects all around Klang Valley and Selangor.
“They believe in our work. We are trying to bring football to everyday people. We’re talking about those who want to score goals on the field and make a positive impact on it.
“I want those who join us to realise there’s more to it than just kicking a ball around. It’s about seeing and feeling kindness in action, watching our community grow stronger, game by game,” said Khalilul, who has also written and published two books.
PBS was also given the opportunity to organise recreational sports sessions at the Kelana Jaya City Council Stadium in conjunction with Hari Bola Sepak Selangor 2023 by the FAS, where football clinics, teqball, and board games were among the activities held for free in March last year.
To describe the PBS brand, Khalilul says it’s all about ‘Kindness, Community, and Fairness’.
“It’s like having a good defence in football. You need that solid foundation of kindness, building on a tight-knit community, and yet, firmness in our beliefs and actions.
“I’m proud to say that we have created a safe space for everyone. We play with the recreational football rules, so there are no tackles.
“It takes time to get used to it but when everyone clicks, it is very fun because you go into the game with a sense of safety, physically, mentally, and emotionally as it builds a sense of community with the people around you,” he said.
Khalilul added that the opportunities to meet new people are plenty as attendees for games vary with different schedules and commitments for the players.
Also involved in women’s football, Khalilul has been working with the FAS Women’s Super League since its inception and PBS has also provided a space for regular mums and football fans to enjoy themselves.
“We have created a space where the male players will bring their wives or partners to come watch them play, and eventually the women would be interested to join as well, and years later they are still playing with us.
“It’s good to see our values and morals have allowed us to create a safe space for everyone to join. We’re even looking into providing a sitter for the mums so they can play football while their children are taken care of,” he said.
Another key element for PBS is making access to the sport affordable for everyone to join, with sessions ranging from RM15-RM35 per person.
However, Khalilul said organising games on a regular basis does come with its own sets of challenges, with field rentals and manpower, as it takes a team to coordinate games.
“The venue is the biggest chunk in terms of cost, and we are particular about where we play because safety, lighting, and parking is a priority. We hope to have partnerships with venues because we also bring community value to the place.
“The demand as an administrator is also tough because we need to find people to coordinate the games and we need leaders to participate to have that sense of inclusion in the game,” he said.
Khalilul said the inspiration to be involved in the community stems from his mother, who is a social science professor.
“So growing up I learned a lot about it and I’m a very community-oriented person.
“Even though I did have offers to join football professionally, my heart is still with grassroots and the community.
“Otherwise, who is there to fight for them?”
