"You have been a Blogger extraordinarie, a friend in deed and most of all, a Malaysian after my heart."
Dear buddy Captain Yusof Ahmad, known popularly as The Ancient Mariner (AM) to us *BUMmers (*residents of BUM which stands for Bloggers Universe Malaysia) passed away on Saturday night. Another BUMmer friend ES Shankar broke the news to me at about 2.00PM yesterday; it was that sort of occasion when Desi was stumped for words, and after an interval of silence, I remarked a few words to Shankar, ended with: "Indeed, Man proposes, God disposes."
For the third tme in my past 10-12 years, I broke down and cried...
My last chat with AM was just two days earlier when Shankar aka DonPlayPuks(DPP) and Capt Yusof and I had planned a meeting at the National Press Club last Friday to discuss the registration of the National Alliance of Bloggers (All-Blogs) with Interim Prez Sdr Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru. But the meeting had to be deferred because again, the Almighty decided otherwise.
In blogosphere, Capt Yusof would be best remembered for his writing on maritime affairs, and appropriately and aptly, for his well-informed and consistent updates, including some "scoops" news-wise, on the never-ending Port Klang Free Zone billion-ringgit scandal. In fact, I did consolidate his recent posts into one titled "Don't Restrict Information" just last Saturday. (*See related story here>>>http://desiderata2000.blogspot.com/2009/07/pkfz-dont-restrict-information.html ~~~
PKFZ: Don't Restrict Information... )
I say "Blogger extraordinaire" precisely because even most fulltime reporters don't get to break some of Capt Yusof's stories on the PKFZ -- it shows that even after officially leaving the service in the maritime sector, he enjoyed "brotherhood" with many still in the industry who could be relied on to supply him with "insider" information.
On a personal level, I thanked the good AM for being such a constant/monthly tehtarik at Lingam's CH, Seremban -- I often teased that no one brought along the Chief Justice! -- along with another olde, salty Capt Stuart Russell aka Mindful Mariner.And when I detoured to Petaling Jaya, it was either AM or DPP who limousine-chauffered me around, sometimes joined by other Socio-Political Bloggers at G7 meetings impromptuly lined up... I am proud to say that AM and DPP served more or less as my right and left hand respectively in the BUM2009 Organising Committee, helping me to sail through some troubled water. **
And from the Comments I have sighted at other blogsites such as Rocky's and A Voice, I note that indeed AM has had built up a firm and close network of Blogger mates and non-Blogger fands too. Most of them have crossed the racial and religious divides, also age and gender too, to really converse with each other BECAUSE in Capt Yusof-Ancient Mariner we are blessed to have an example of that sort of a MALAYSIAN we long to become, and befriend.
"Fare Thee WellA, dear Capt Yusof, my ancient mariner matey -- Terima Kasih for all the goode times, and I can still see, your perennial smiles, wherever thou art. GodBless!" ~~ YL, Desi
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