Ex-national footballer Dzulkifli Ali dies aged 65

Former national footballer Dzulkifli Ali passed away at the age of 65 due to heart and intestinal complications. He was laid to rest at the Bagan Jermal Muslim cemetery in Butterworth following Asar prayers today. Dzulkifli, who was 65, breathed his last at around 12:30 pm after being treated at Seberang Jaya Hospital for three days, as reported by Bernama.

A key defender for Penang during the 1980s, he was among the players who excelled at both state and national levels, considered one of the golden eras of Malaysian football. Regarded as a tough and aggressive defender capable of playing both right-back and central defence, Dzulkifli also had the honor of representing the national team alongside football legends such as Northern Ireland's George Best and England's Kevin Keegan in 1984.

Even after retiring from competitive football, he stayed involved in the sport by participating in friendly matches and national veterans tournaments alongside his former teammates. Penang Malay Football Ex-Players Association secretary Mahathir Jamal Mohamad described Dzulkifli's death as a significant loss to his family, friends, and the Penang football community, emphasizing that his service and contributions would forever be cherished and remembered.