Every time he takes action, his voice is loud, sometimes even audible from the seats of the audience, in the midst of a sea of supporters in the stadium. As the captain, his character is always firm and energetic throughout the 90-minute game.
His mission is only one, to ensure victory in his grasp. Every inch of the arena is always observed, so that attacks find their targets, and the defence line breaks the opponent’s attacks.
That is the character of the famous former Sarawak football star, Mohd Ali Sapiee, 60, or affectionately known as “Alek” among his friends and loyal fans.
Recognised as the best midfielder in the Land of the Hornbills, his greatness always transcends time, remaining as the “number one midfielder” until now, even among the best in Malaysia throughout the 80s and 90s.
He is said to be on par with sensational Malaysian midfield stars at that time, such as Radhi Mat Din (Kedah), Azizul Abu Hanifah (Perak), and Nasir Yusof (Johor).
The former coach of the Ngap Sayot squad (1988-89), Awang Mahyan Awang Muhamad, labelled Alek as ‘extraordinary’ and incomparable. “Until now, I have not yet found a midfielder in Sarawak as good as Alek. He has his own charisma… wise in attacking, smart in defending. All the characteristics of a great player are in him,” said Mahyan.
Another former Sarawak coach, Alan Vest (1991-1998), also agrees with Mahyan. According to the coach from Perth, Australia, players like Alek are very difficult to find.
“He is very important in the team… can play in many positions, always running, cleverly closing down the opponent’s space, and smartly opening up space for his teammates,” said Vest.
The former president of the Sarawak Football Association (FAS), the late Datuk Taha Ariffin, once described Alek as a player who can perform in the main squad of any giant team in Malaysia.
“He is in the ‘star’ player group, with an Asian level… Sarawak is lucky to have him,” he said.
Called up for Malaysia three times
Standing at 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 65 kilograms, Alek is known as an agile player who is rich in trickery.
His body movements often trap opponents. Precise control, accurate passes, quick interceptions, and smart reading of the opponent’s game are Alek’s assets that are always admired, feared, and envied by opponents.
That is why he was called up three times by the Malaysian squad management to add strength to the midfield position of the Harimau Malaya team. He even spent several days training with big names such as Zainal Abidin Hassan, Dollah Salleh, Lee Kin Hong, Azizul Abu Hanifah, Radhi Mat Din, Subadron Aziz, and Ahmad Sobri Ismail.
However, he eventually withdrew due to personal and family matters. But the “preferential treatment” of the Malaysian team management at that time hurt him deeply. It was not meant to be his fate.
However, it did not break his spirit to contribute to the Sarawak team for 20 years, from 1982 to 2001, from the age of 19 to 39. Throughout that period, the midfield position always remained his permanent possession; no player could challenge him.
For two decades, Alek wore the Sarawak team jersey and played in three generations and three eras of the Malaysian League, from amateur to semi-pro and professional leagues.
If Alek were playing now, the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) team, one of the aristocratic teams, would definitely not miss the chance to secure his services.
One interesting thing about Alek is that he can play in any position; midfield, defence, winger, striker, and goalkeeper.
“In the 80s, I once played as a goalkeeper, taking over Affendi Jol’s place (who was injured) when playing against the Kedah team. I have played in all positions throughout my time with the Sarawak team,” said Alek, who has won around 200 trophies during his national and local level career.
However, the midfield position is most suitable for him, as he functions as the field general, leading his fellow fighters every time they ‘fight’ against opposing teams.
Regarding the midfield partnership, the father of four acknowledged Ibrahim Mantali as the most compatible. He said that Ibrahim is a wise midfielder who has very accurate passes. They made a name for themselves when they were part of the Bujang Senang squad (during the 90s era).
He also praised Abu Bakar Amran, his midfield partner in the Ngap Sayot 1988 squad. According to him, Abu, who is from Miri, is a midfielder who doesn’t know the meaning of tiredness.
At the national level, Alek greatly admires Azizul Abu Hanifah, whom he considers the best midfielder in Malaysia from the late 80s to the 90s. “Until now, I have never seen a player as good as Azizul…his skills are very high, and he has several extraordinary moves.”
The greatest success Alek achieved with the Sarawak team was winning the 1997 Premier League, which is equivalent to the current Super League. Sarawak also won the 1998 Charity Cup. At that time, Sarawak, led by Alan Vest, had three foreign imports namely Alistair Edwards (striker), Billy Bone (midfielder), and David Evans (defence).
Meanwhile, local players were Bobby Pian, Ibrahim Mantali, Affendi Julaihi, Roslan Ismail, Dahlan Matusin, Zaidel Sakup, Ramos Sari, Ramles Sari, and local imports, Mazlan Wahid and Ahmad Fairus.
However, reaching the semi-finals of the 1988 Malaysia Cup was also a significant achievement for Alek. After all, it was a sudden resurgence of Sarawak football, which was previously known as a team of losers.
Although they lost 1-0 to Kedah in the second leg of the semi-finals at the National Stadium in Singapore, the Sarawak players were warmly welcomed upon their arrival at Kuching International Airport.
“We were greeted like pilgrims returning from Hajj. As soon as we landed, tens of thousands of supporters celebrated with us. We were like celebrities. Since then, we have always been greeted by fans wherever we go,” said Alek.
“Surely, our success was largely influenced by coach Awang Mahyan, who used motivation and psychology every time we played,” explained Alek, who was coached by nine coaches (Alan Bradshaw, Mohamad Che Su, Wan Edrus Alwi, Mohamad Poasa Sahar, Morshidi Awet, Awang Mahyan, Wahet Uji, Alan Vest, and Jalil Ramli).
The slogan “Ngap Sayot” is always on the lips of fans, not only in the southern region of Sarawak, but also in the north, as it is chanted by young children, teenagers, children, and the pride of the elderly.
It is like a virus, spreading throughout Malaysia, even infecting Brunei and Singapore… Ngap Sayot is everywhere. From farmers, fishermen to corporate figures, ministers, and the Prime Minister, everyone knows Ngap Sayot.
Ngap Sayot means “fight to the end, attack and strike”. It was coined when Awang Mahyan and Affendi Jol were playing snooker.
Malaysia Cup Final Regret
The disappointment that he will never forget is when he couldn’t help his team during the Malaysia Cup final in 1999, especially when Sarawak lost 2-1 to Brunei at the Merdeka Stadium. Alek was suspended for one match (the final) after receiving two yellow cards in the semifinal against Terengganu.
At that time, both of Brunei’s goals, scored by two skilled imports, Patron Akakpo and Brian Bothwell, were scored by Rosli Liman, while Sarawak’s only goal was contributed by Ramles Sari.
“I was on the bench, just a spectator, just watching my teammates fight and struggle on the field.
“I cannot imagine how I felt at that time… only Allah SWT knows how painful it was for me when I couldn’t help my teammates. A great match like this (final) rarely happens,” he said.
“But what can I do, things like this can happen in football… losing is one thing, but we lost when I, as the captain, couldn’t play. It was very disappointing,” said Alek.
Volleyball Champion
He once faced a dilemma, whether to choose football or volleyball, two sports that he excelled in. However, after being mixed, subtracted, divided and multiplied, he cannot be separated from football.
“I also like volleyball, and I once helped the Sarawak team win the National Cup in 1987. We defeated several strong teams from the Peninsula,” he said.
He was the only Malay player in the Sarawak squad, as the rest were Chinese. Every football off-season, Alek would not miss the opportunity to switch courts, change his identity, and become a volleyball player.
If Alek focused entirely on the sport that used his hands, his chances of donning the Malaysian team jersey would also be bright. He was blessed with the advantage of being skilled in these two very different sports. High jumping became Alek’s talisman in this sport, and it was also used on the football field, through jumps and headers.
According to him, a football team is like a movie, before it is shown, it must be promoted. Good promotion, a good story, great actors, will surely attract many viewers to the stage.
“So, too, with a football team, if they play well and win, then many spectators will come to the stadium… if not, no one will want to come to the stadium,” he said.
His message to the new generation of Sarawak football players and Kuching City FC is to never give up easily and always improve their weaknesses.
“As a player, I often think about the mistakes I have made… the weaknesses that need to be improved. I never think about my strengths or advantages,” said Alek.
Certainly, this renowned champion must be recognised as one of the recipients of the Sarawak Star Award (ABS) someday, for his contributions and services in the arena of Sarawak football.
The name Mohd Ali Sapiee will continue to shine in the history of Sarawak football forever. He stands in a class of his own that is difficult to replace, as he performed as a famous star player in three different generations.
