It is said that greatness is in the blood.
This certainly seems to be the case with Abu Malik Abdullah's family.
With Rusma Ismail as the steady and supportive matriarch, all of the couple's six children are highly skilled in karate, especially kumite, which involves sparring directly with an opponent.
Four brothers from Penang were selected for the state team, while two others went a step further and were included in the national team representing the country.
Last October, celebrations were held at the family home in Taman Pekaka when Mohammad Arif Afifuddin, the second youngest of the family, won Malaysia's sixth gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The voice echoed.
This was the latest of many milestones the family has achieved in a karate journey that began for his parents more than 40 years ago.
Muhammad Arif Afifuddin (centre) shows his parents and siblings the gold medal he won in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games Karate Men's Under-84kg Kumite at his home in Taman Pekaka, Penang. — Photo: ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
preemptive strike
Abu Malik, 63, has always loved karate, but it wasn't until he was well into his 20s that he had the opportunity to don the gi (traditional karate uniform) for the first time.
The head of the family, who grew up in Gerang Patah, Johor, said he had never tried karate as a student, but when he moved to the capital for work, he considered enrolling in a dojo (martial arts school).
“I joined the police force in 1981 and was sent to Kuala Lumpur. Self-defense is important for police officers, so I joined a karate club there and took public classes.
“There were about 20 adults and more than 10 children studying together,” he said.
After training hard for several years and passing several KYs (color belts), work and family took up most of his time.
Abu Malik retired from the police force after 10 years of service and moved to Penang to join the private security sector.
And in an unlikely location above a wet market, he passed on his passion for martial arts to his children.
In an outdoor hall above Batu Lanchan market, the Penang Goshinryu Karate Association met twice a week under the guidance of renowned karate chief instructor Datuk Patrick Lim Chee Jing.
Muhammad Arif Afifuddin (front), his brother Muhammad Fayezuddin, sister Nur Elena Anis, and Abu Malik in a karate pose at home.
These intensive training sessions brought together Penang Goshin-ryu students and instructors from schools and centers across the state to train together.
Abu Malik's eldest son, Mohammad Riz'anuddin, began classes there in his early teens, followed soon after by Mohammad Fayezuddin, who is a year younger.
Penang Goshin-Ryu then opened a karate class at SMK Datuk Haji Mohamed Nor Ahmad in 2003, and the boys attended there. So the kids added these co-curricular classes to their training schedules.
The two youngest members of the family, Muhammad Arif Afifuddin and Muhammad Ameer Sirajuddin, started karate at an early age under the guidance of their older brothers.
Two girls in the group, Nur Elena Anis and Nur Nazaris Sophia, also participated, with one difference being that both had earned black belts in Taekwondo in school classes before enrolling.
“Their father is one of the most devoted parents I've ever seen.
Mr Lim, former chairman of the Asian Karate Federation (AFK) Referees Council, said: “He sends them to every training session and they attend every match, even if they have to drive for hours. I guess so,” he said.
cross the border
In fact, this family has a funny story about driving to competitions.
As all the children became elite athletes, they participated in competitions and other competitions all over the country.
Nur Elena Anis, who represented Penang at the age of 15 and joined the national team at the age of 19, was selected to participate in the Asian University Games held in Chiang Mai in 2010.
Her father tells her that he will try to come and support her.
Muhammad Arif Afifuddin (right) during a match during the tournament. — file pick
After Nur Elena left with his team, Abu Malik bought a road map of Thailand, packed his car with Rusma and his two youngest sons, and set out on a journey of more than 1,800km.
“There was no Google Maps back then. I marked the towns I needed to drive through, such as Hat Yai and Phatthalung, and drove there,” Abu Malik said.
The trip took two full days, including an overnight stop in Surat Thani, a few hours of R&R, and a few road closures along the way.
“I had my bike on the roof of my car. I was actually planning on cycling a bit, but it turns out that cycling has other benefits.
“When we were stopped at the barricade, I was telling the Thai police that we were in a hurry to race in Chiang Mai. They would hand us through.
“As it turned out, the bike never fell off during the trip,” Abu Malik said, adding that the family arrived in time to watch the Nur Elena Anis match.
“I was also very worried. I didn't know where they were because there was no way to contact them,” said Nur Elena Anis.
“And they didn't know which hotel I was staying in,” she added.
Now 32, she credits martial arts for helping her develop confidence and her family for their continued support on and off the tatami mats.
“My dad used to iron all the clothes we wore to training sessions. There was a time when all four of us (brothers) were on the state team together.
“Then some would leave to study, and younger people would join. Boys and girls would train together and compete against each other. I trained twice a day,” recalls Nur Elena Anis.
She added that on holidays, her father would take the children running or bring a target so the children could train on their own.
road to gold
Nur Elena Anis played for the Malaysian national team until the age of 25, before returning to the National Sports Council (MSN) to see her younger brother Mohammad Arif Afifuddin join the national team.
“I had already left the team at that time, but I came back to see his choices,” she said.
Muhammad Arif Afifuddin was just 16 years old at the time and had to complete his final year of education at Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) in preparation for the SPM exam.
Coming from a close-knit family, this transition was by no means easy.
When asked if he ever wanted to go home, he replied: But I thought it was my sister who did it. why can't you? That helped,” he joked.
The 23-year-old graduated with a degree in sports science from the University of National Defense Malaysia (UPNM), which he attended as a civilian, but continues to train at BJSS.
He became a national darling when he surprisingly won a gold medal in the men's kumite under-84kg category at the Hangzhou Asian Games in October.
Her parents attended every tournament possible, but Lusma's illness made them return home unexpectedly during the tournament.
“Actually, I didn't have high expectations for this tournament because I was injured,” said Muhammad Arif Afifuddin.
“I got kicked in the ribs about two weeks ago, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to perform at my best.
“Even if they wanted to come (to the Olympics), I would say no,” he said frankly.
Still, he made it through, defeating Indonesia's Sandy Firmancer in the quarterfinals and South Korea's Baek Junhyuk in the semifinals.
He played against Kazakhstan's Daniyal Yuldashev in the gold medal match on October 7, and his parents and eldest sister watched it live together in Penang.
Abu Malik said he is usually calm, but that night he was so scared he thought he was going to have a heart attack.
“When he was still fighting, I had to stand up and jalan jalan (walk around).
“I was thinking what would happen if my child won and I died,” he said.
To the cheers of the nation and in front of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Hannah Yeo, who could not remain seated in the Linping Sports Center gymnasium, Muhammad Arif Afifuddin delivered not just a victory, but a decisive victory, turning the match into a victory. lead. 10-4 conclusion.
Abu Malik and his daughter shed tears, but Rusma, 62, proved to be the most steadfast spectator in the house.
“I couldn't cry. I was recording the victory on my phone!” Rusma said.
For Mohammad Arif Afifuddin, the unexpected victory, coupled with a powerful blow to the head with 15 seconds left, made the entire episode feel like a dream.
“When I got back to the hotel that night, I put my medal and prize money by my pillow.
“The next morning, when I saw the medal, I realized it wasn't a dream,” he said.
Returning to Malaysia is a joy for him, and Nur Elena Anis is often stopped by people to take pictures with him and ask for autographs, and when she is around him, she feels like she is a celebrity. “We're walking together,” he joked.
Muhammad Arif Afifuddin is now striving for glory even more, aiming to win a medal at the twice-yearly World Karate Championships.
Abu Malik has recently turned his attention to one of his grandchildren, his second son, who seems to have a particular interest in the sport.
