Remains of ex-national football goalkeeper Yusoff Abu Bakar laid to rest

The remains of Datuk Mohd Yusoff Abu Bakar, 81, a former national football goalkeeper in the 50s, were laid to rest at the Al-Bukhari Mosque Muslim cemetery here today.

The funeral prayers for Mohd Yusoff at Al-Bukhari Mosque were attended by family members and friends before he was buried at 11.20am.

Yusoff, who was fondly known as the 'Iron Gate', passed away at 6.15pm yesterday at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital here after being bedridden from kidney failure and lung infection since last year.

Yusoff's son, Yuzaily, 49, said his family members accepted the demise of their father.

He also thanked all parties especially the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) which extended various assistance to his father.

"I am sad as there are parties who do not appreciate my late father's service to the nation in the past," he said when met by reporters here today.

Yuzaily said his father had expressed disappointment with the parties responsible for national football for refusing to seek views from old players like him.

He said his father had been willing to share his views to help raise the quality of national football.

"For him, wearing the national jersey meant one is the best player for the national team and the quality of our players then were far better than the players today," he said.

Yusoff, who brought honours to the nation for his excellent record while representing Malaya in the 1958 Merdeka Cup, had served the Prison's Department since 1957.

His last post was as Alor Setar Prison director from 1987 to 1990. -- Bernama