Whenever I think of Linggam Sibi, I would always remember the incident that happened during our first week in school. We were totally 'alien' to each other then, still shy and very reserved - typical of kampong boys, perhaps. Anyway, on that 'fateful' day, I was seated obediently at the back of the class - Remove Class B - when the name Linggam Sibi was called out by En. Yang Razali. The very next moment, for reason best known to both of them, En. Yang Razali tried to pinch Linggam by the tummy (very typical Tan Teng Leong's style). Linggam reacted by opening up his 'silat' moves!. He totally misunderstood En. Yang's intention and had reacted as what was expected of a 'Bajau warrior' under seiged!. Nobody dared to laugh then nor ask Linggam what was all the huha about.
How can we forget his unique and stylist baju Melayu - green in color, 'wet-looked' somemore and with that 'blink-blink" features (could have easily won over AC Mizal's or Aznil Hj. Nawawi's admiration!). He really looked like a pahlawan Bajau wearing that shirt. And to tell the truth, I was a scared and worried 13-year old kid, looking at him the first time around. Linggam was big and he had that 'fierce' and 'ready-2-pow-U' looked at that time. Serious! Dead and very serious looking Linggam indeed!. Obviously, his 'serious-look' and his 'maturity' landed him the captaincy of the school rugby team.
That picture above was the school Under - 16 rugby team. Majority of the players were from Batch 73 though we still have Solahuddin (Batch 72), Rusli, Adli (Arwah), Anuar Musa (Tan Sri) and Nordin (all of them from Batch 74). Seated were of course Linggam and Kutik. Can you imagine Mr. J. A David coaching us rugby?!.
If I am not mistaken, ours was the first time ever when the inter-Remove class game of rugby was introduced. It was the brainchild of Mr. Kok Kee Chye, who wanted the school to constantly produce rugby players - good, 'star' quality players, I would say. My first reaction then when Shafri Man (Dato) and Alias Shaarani came over to the class and told us about the game and the match, was anything but excited. Rugby? Never heard of this game before! What the heck was these guys talking about!?
The team was selected and trained under Shafri and Alias. I can't remember who was in-charged of Remove Class A though. But one thing for sure, having Linggam in the same team as you are, was not only a blessing in disguise but it was as if you have struck a lottery! We escaped the endure of having to tackle him. Linggam at the time was bigger than the rest of us. And since 'size does matter'.., at least in rugby, it was really a plus point for us in Remove Class B. Of course, Remove Class A team was not to be belittled. They had Kutik but having Linggam was something extra!. Of course, there were other prominent and potential rugby players in the making as well then - Radhi Majid (HM Khalid called him 'the Black Panther!'), Hassan Said (Prof Dato'), Ismail Ibrahim, Omar Suhaimi, Mat Nor, Ismail Don , Yuri, Tomo, Rahim, Che Chop, Lan Chik, Khairuddin (Wak) and even Wan Manshol!. What can I say of Wak Khairuddin? He may not be a handsome guy then, but on the field, as a scrumhalf, Wak flew like a butterfly!
Ipoh rugby then (probably Perak as well) witnessed the arrival of Linggam in manner that has never been before!. Linggam took the world of rugby in Perak by storm. He was the Jonah Lomu of yesteryear. He would ran amok on the field. Running from one end of the field to another. He terrorised the opposing team so much so that as team mates you could not helped but felt lucky that you played along side him and not the opposite. I was sure that those guys who had been tackled by Linggam or tried to tackle Linggam would have rather 'di timpa balak' instead. Deo gratias! In almost every game that we played, the scores were all above the centuries! Thanks to Linggam!
Linggam was also a school cadet band member and played the bass drum. The softie and romantic side of Linggam!. And guess what, the teacher who was in-charge of the school cadet band then was none other - En. Yang Razali!!
... to be continued
