MALAYSIA’S SKATING PIONEER
With both feet firmly planted on his skateboard and gliding effortlessly back and forth his self-made ramp, Penangborn Pa’din is a sight to behold
PA’DIN, or Muhammad Fadzil Musa, was at the Grazzroot Skatefest in Putrajaya recently, and his display spoke volumes of his status as a legend in the skateboarding scene in Malaysia.
A two-time Asian X-Games champion who has rolled with leading professionals from around the world, Pa’din said that success, behind all the accolades, did not come easy.
It came with difficult decisions, breaking through traditional barriers, dedication and a lot of hard work, said the 41-year-old who considered skateboarding a lifestyle.
In an interview with the New Sunday Times, Pa’din recalled that he was 12 when he decided to become a skateboarder.
His inspiration came from Aru, the lead singer of a rock band called Republic of Brickfields, who always had a skateboard with him when on tour.
His eldest brother began teaching him at home in Penang, and he was hooked.
In the 1990s, when the extreme sport was still new to Malaysia, especially in his hometown, many were not fond of teenagers riding their wheeled planks around the neighbourhood.
Admitting that he was the rebel in the family, Pa’din quit boarding school after his request to practise skateboarding was denied.
But, Pa’din, the third of seven siblings, knew he needed an education and promised his parents that he would not neglect his studies, despite his mind being set on becoming a professional skateboarder.
With that, his parents gave him their blessings to chase his dream.
As promised, Pa’din took his love of skateboarding and studies seriously. He now holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
Back then, he entered every skateboarding competition he could to establish himself as a professional skateboarder.
Having practised and harnessed his skateboarding skills in his teenage years, Pa’din noted that he missed practice only once, quipping: “That was a day before my Mathematics exam.”
He also survived his teenage years by supporting himself by doing part-time jobs, such as working as a caddy and wood collector, before he received sponsorship as a professional skateboarder.
Pa’din said he took up parttime jobs so as not to burden his family, and also because skateboarding equipment was expensive, which can cost up to thousands of ringgit.
“After my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), my father gave me RM150 for finishing school. Then, I decided to travel to Singapore, where skateboarding competitions were mostly held.
“I did not return home for the next six months.
“I was adamant that I learned about the skating culture, as I was ready to enter the sport competitively,” he said.
It was hard and an unforgettable experience. Some days, Pa’din would sleep at the skate park because he had nowhere to go. Occasionally, he would go to Johor and sleep at a friend’s place, he said with a grin.
The experience proved its worth when Pa’din took part in the Asian X Games in Phuket, Thailand, in 2000, a worldrenowned competition for extreme sports such as mountain biking, motocross and skateboarding.
The local skateboarder went on to win third place, and later, in the 2004 Kuala
Lumpur Asian X
Games, which sealed his status as a pioneer in extreme sports in Malaysia.
The same year, he took part in the 2004 X Games in Los Angeles, which he said was one of the best moments in his life.
His fame grew and locals became aware of the sport. It has now became the norm for children in his hometown to skate.
He explained that what appealed to him about skateboarding was not only the competition, but also the community it created.
“You can go anywhere in the world with your skateboard and you will instantly make friends. People will come up to you and ask if you’re a skater and the next thing you know, you’re friends for life.
“Anyone who aspires to be a professional skateboarder needs to have determination and to practise religiously. You have to take risks, too, and enter competitions if you want to be professional.
“To me, it’s like a way of life. I trained every day, since my goal was to play it professionally, and it paid off. These are the skills that you acquire when you train almost every hour of your life.”
On his plans after his last professional competition in 2011, Pa’din said the skating culture was so embedded in him that he could not see a future without it.
The future of competitive skateboarding in Malaysia, he said, was promising.
There was a chance for budding young skateboarders to take part in the coming 2020
Olympics in Tokyo, but to win, Malaysia needed to train these future extreme sportsmen, he said.
Pa’din said the country must equip budding skateboarders with the proper facilities.
He said although kids nowadays had the Internet to learn new skills, it would be nothing without proper training.