In Loving Memory of my Friend and Brother - Rosli Bakoi, aka Mamu Li

My friend or should I say brother passed away on Sunday and was laid to rest at the Jelutong Masjid Jamek, on Jalan Tunku; he was my best friend among the few I have and had in this life. He was there when I most needed a friend and a place to hang out. Rosli or better known as Li Bakoi, or Mamu Li among the locals old and young, owns and runs the Coffee Shop at the Restauant Ikan Sembilang, which is run by his sons and their buddies. My friend was one of those most likes and respected in the fisherman's community where this all happened and it is known as the Pondok Nelayan Jelutong located along the coastal road off Leboh Raya Lim Chong Eu. This are is located on reclaimed land and the highway that runs parallel to the sea edge was built upon the reclaimed land. When I first met him he was working behind the counter making drinks  I was having a drink while doing some sketching on my pad and we got to talking. Our friendship lasted over twelve years in all and much have I learned about life from this humble man who never seems to have nothing to do, He had a hand in con

structing most of the floating huts of the fisherman's village and the last one he had built from scratch is his living legacy.

When I peeked into the room where they were giving his body the final bath I realized how small he was and from all that I have known he had done with his two hands it boggles my mind. However I had the feeling that he was not going to last into a ripe old age at the rate he was pushing and had a history of a by-pass operation to boot. He refuses his medication his eldest brother told me when we met at the mosque the burial. It rained heavy that Sunday night and I was worried he might be swimming in his grave, he most probably built a sampan right there and then! Bon Voyage my friend, my Brother... may

Allah make it a simple transition from this life to the next.