KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s top bowler Rafiq Ismail is cherishing the opportunity to celebrate another Hari Raya with his beloved father, Ismail Nimat, after a challenging few months.
Ismail, 71, has been battling multiple health complications, including kidney, intestinal, and heart issues, for several years. His condition took a turn for the worse late last year after undergoing dialysis for some time, leading to an extended hospital stay of several months.
“It has been really difficult the past few months, so the family and I are just extremely grateful to have dad with us for another Raya this year,” Rafiq told Scoop.
“The worst moment was in December when he had to stay in hospital, and his heart stopped for two minutes. While his condition is not the greatest, we are still happy and grateful to have him around. This Hari Raya is to celebrate him.”
The former world champion and World Cup winner said this year’s celebration will be modest due to his father’s health.
“Usually, we celebrate Raya in Kuala Lumpur as both my parents are from here. This year, however, we will keep it simple because of dad’s condition. The first day will be at home, and perhaps on the second day, we will visit some nearby relatives,” he added.
In January, despite learning of his father’s worsening condition from his mother, Zaiton Abd Ghani, Rafiq remained focused and inspired his teammates Timmy Tan, Ahmad Muaz Fishol, and Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam to clinch the men’s team gold at the IBF World Cup in Hong Kong.
Earlier this month, he came close to securing his first Professional Bowlers’ Association (PBA) title in the United States, finishing runner-up in the PBA Scorpion Championship in Reno, Nevada.
Rafiq will take a short break to celebrate Hari Raya before returning to competition at the 43rd Malaysia Open, set to take place from April 7 to 20 at the Sunway Mega Lanes in Sunway Pyramid. – March 30, 2025