Voice of sport Hasbullah (Itu dia!) dies at 63

Happy Hasbullah [Photo: Astro Arena]

Hasbullah Awang has died of heart complications at the age of 63. Chubby, ever-smiling Hasbullah became the familiar Voice of Sport as Radio-TV Malaysia’s sports commentator for four decades, on air for all major events, and travelling the world to cover the Olympics and World Cup. He joined Astro Arena in January last year.

Hasbullah provoked as much amusement as annoyance on air, but became a familiar and, it is probably fair to say, much-loved voice though there were inevitable comparison with his predecessors, especially with the smooth, suave Rahim Razali, and contemporaries such as Sherkawi Jirim at TV3.

But his love of sport and his job, and his style, as well as his solecisms outlived the critics.

Hasbullah was so much a part of sports that he was to feature in a television commercial, in a cameo role as himself, expressing shock and awe when Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand scored a goal for his club in a Premier League match.

Things he used to say

Hasbullah’s most remembered lines, as related by sports fans at Lowyat.net

• GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL….. tapiiii tidak!..
• “inilah saat yang dinantikan… kemunculan ke gelanggan.. DATUK LEE CHONG WEI…”
• “perlawanan hebat antara singa utara menentang gergasi merah. bagaikan sebuah cerita lagenda dahulukala di mana seekor singa bertarung dengan gergasi……tapi saya tak tahu siapa yang menang”
• “Ya, itu dia, pemain jersi nombor 8 ohh bukan 6, yang sebenarnya seorang pemain midfield tetapi bermain di posisi penyerang untuk Pahang tetapi dia bermain di posisi tengah untuk Malaysia pada hari ini jadi dia agak sesuai untuk bermain di posisi tengah untuk Malaysia”
• “Walaupun Malaysia kalah tetapi di mata saya, Malaysia tetap menang…”
• Kali ni cantekkkk!! Oooooo dia berada di kedudukan untuk mencapai kejayaan
• Keluar! Tapi dalam. Dalam! Di atas garisan bulu tangkis jatuh
• Satu pukulan cross court! Tidak menjunam, tapi terapung. Akhirnya jatuh di gelanggang lawan.
• yaa, kelihatan di skrin telivisyen, Maria Mozambique sedang mendahului di 200m pertama… di beri tekanan hebat dari pelari Kenya… maria mozambique berlari dengan kebih jencang, cuba menepis asakan dari perlari kenya, maria mozambique, maria mozambique…. daaaaaaan satu emad olimpik untuk acara 800 telah oleh maria mozambique……. atau nama sebenarnya Maria Mutola, maafkan saya tuan2….. maria mutola dari mozambique….
  at the Olympics, Sydney 2000
• “k. kannan di sebelah kanan” (1988)
• “ohh!! terkandas disitu”

Ya itu dia, tuantuan dan puanpuan…

-uppercaise