I'd known him for many years - since the early 90's, I think - and all because of golf. It wasn't that I played with him - in fact I probably played with him only once or twice. It was because we saw each other often when we came to the club for our separate morning rounds. We did go to Thailand together once many years ago, when we joined a bus tour for golf. I will always remember calling him "setengah". That was how Dato' Ismail Yassin broke the news to me Fri, on the 'phone. "Your friend Setengah has died."
It was only last week that I saw him playing with Sulaiman Sabtu and Imran in a group behind mine. And as usual I shouted at Sulaiman "main berapa orang ?" And as usual Sulaiman hollered back "dua-setengah !" They were three - Sulaiman, Imran and Shaharin. But because Shaharin was small in size, he was only "setengah", a half.
I used to joke with that regular group of his that Shaharin was not only "half" in size, he also carried only a half-set ( 7 clubs ), and because of his age (he was 78 when he died) only played 5 holes out of the normal 9 in a half round.
Apparently Shaharin collapsed at the atm machine at Plaza Ampangan and was taken by his wife who was with him to hospital. That was Wednesday. He was conscious and could talk. But Friday morning he had breathing difficulties and could not speak anymore. At about 1 pm he died.
Several of us fellow golfers visited his remains at his house in Paroi Jaya Friday when it was brought back at almost six o'clock in the evening. We all read some prayers, sitting on the floor around the already bathed and shrouded body. He was finally put to rest at about 9 p.m. at the Paroi Jaya cemetry. It's not far from the golf club that he went to daily for much of his retirement days.
You have completed your final round, my friend. They say to be taken away from this world on a Friday is a special blessing. We all pray you now rest with the blessed, amin.
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