Ismail Yassin.

19.11.2021.

Wednesday I called Ismail for a game Thursday. Just 9 holes. Kak Tun picked up the phone, and Ismail agreed when she passed it to him. Kak Tun took back the phone and cautioned that Bang Mail can't hit the ball now. Just for the walk, and maybe some putting, but taking the buggy, and that might be ok. She drove him to the club,  at 8.15. I told her to come back in 2 hours. She came back 10.30. We were already waiting at the car park.

Dato' Ismail Yassin and I go back to 1995, when I first met him at the club and began our golf together right until Thursday. That'll make it more than 26 years. And with intially 15-3-3 right down to 2 ringgit per hole, RM 25 K might have changed hands. Mostly it has been my way ! In the last 2-3 years, before the pandemic, I'd given him strokes for all holes except the pars-3. And a lot of "preferred lies". It has been not only at SIGC but also other courses in other states. But Thursday, sadly, I found that, as Kak Tun said, Ismail can't play anymore. He's 83.

Ismail has an interesting career. He was a college-trained teacher and Kak Tun was his pretty student. They got hooked.

Wanting to do better, after marriage he took up Law at the Inns-of-Courts, London, taking Kak Tun along, and returned to work at PKNNS for a brief period, before putting up practice in Melaka. During Rais Yatim's time, Ismail ran for the UMNO state seat of Rembau and became a wakil rakyat. He says many times he represented the MB at state functions, to the vexation of Yazid Baba (according to him).  Musa Hitam even sent him to the UN at one time. He joined all the associations around town - the ex-teachers, Perkim, later Veteran UMNO, MUBARAK and several others. I suspect he also surreptitiously joined the "Ibu Tunggal" association without anyone else knowing, ha ha.

He got hooked to golf in Melaka, he says. It was natural. He had time and opportunity, and he had been a school athlete. And he must have been a useful golfer. It's easy to be turned off, otherwise. Coming back to Seremban, there were the scores of keen players at the only golf club in town.  He played with the whole crowd, from regular members to  the VVIP's, including Undangs and Royalty.

There were health issues before, sure,  but he overcame them, including a minor stroke. In fact he completely recovered from that particular attack. He was unflinching in the search for cure and good health, and drove far and wide for providers. But now  it's age, I suppose, and no one escapes that.

As Kak Tun got into the driver's seat, I said " let  him walk around Bukit Chedang in the morning, and ask him to finish 1 liter of water daily". Ismail has had a good run, and earned his rest. I pray that he settles in comfort, surrounded by loved ones.

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