Harimau Malaya Fan Who Sold His Motorcycle To Attend Doha Game Gets 2 New Bikes As A Gift
The superfan received the new bikes from Modenas and national footballer Faisal Halim, respectively.
By Melissa Alvina — 29 Jan 2024, 02:14 PM
A fervent supporter of Harimau Malaya who sold his motorcycle to go watch the national team play in Doha, Qatar, has been gifted not one, but two new motorcycles
The superfan, Derrick Gan, gained widespread attention after photos and videos depicted him shedding tears of joy. This emotional moment unfolded as Malaysian footballer Arif Aiman Hanapi successfully converted a penalty, propelling Malaysia to a 2-1 lead against South Korea during the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup Group E football match on 25 January.
The match ended in a 3-3 draw, a commendable result considering Malaysia's FIFA ranking compared to South Korea, who are ranked 23rd in the world.
After the match, netizens identified him as the superfan who had shared on Facebook last month that he sold his bike for RM4,500 to fund his trip to Qatar.According to Bernama, Gan made the difficult decision to part with his bike when he realised he was falling short, despite saving RM1,500 over the course of a year.
He said that the overall expenses for the Qatar trip, including the flight ticket, food, and accommodation, amounted to around RM6,000. Faced with insufficient savings, he decided to sell his motorcycle.
"That's the only motorcycle in my life. I have a car but my wife uses it [for city driving] in Kuala Lumpur. But I didn't mind selling the bike because I wanted to go to Qatar to cheer for Harimau Malaya in this historic football [match]," Bernama quoted Derrick as saying.
Netizens affectionally named Gan Abang Rambut Perang and declared him Harimau Malaya's superfan.
In recognition of his sacrifice and unwavering support, the superfan was rewarded with a new motorcycle from Modenas in collaboration with ERA, a local Malay-language radio station
Upon his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Saturday, 27 January, Modenas chief executive officer Roslan Roskan, along with popular ERA host Radin Amir Affendy presented Gan with the motorcycle.
The local radio station also prepared another special gift for Gan by arranging a video call with national goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi.
"Derrick, continue [your] support and be the 12th player for Harimau Malaya," read the caption of the Facebook post showcasing photos of Gan receiving the motorcycle.
Gan also received a brand-new motorcycle from national footballer Faisal Halim, who scored Malaysia's first goal against South Korea
In collaboration with his sponsor Blast Active, Faisal personally handed over a Yamaha LC135 motorcycle to Gan, reported Berita Harian.
"As a Blast ambassador, this is the initial fund I received from Blast, and I bought this bike for you," the Malay daily quoted Faisal as saying.
"I was deeply moved, filled with excitement, and somewhat touched to see you shedding tears during our match against [South] Korea that day. Therefore, in collaboration with Blast, we present you with this motorcycle. Consider this your bike," he added.
