WALSH no more...DNightcaller?

What else can I say? Another day, another one bites the dust...

Today I received a call from a friend telling me that WALSH is no more...and for those who are not familiar with that nick, his real name is Wan Shamsiruddin Wan Shamsudin of Pahang Darul Makmur.

So today, I am zeroing on a person who may seems eccentric to some but he has his own vision, in his own rights. Where do I begin? Where do I start?

WASH took this nick because he is a fan of Joe Walsh of the "Eagle" fame, the band who sings "Hotel California" when he was a student in UK way back in the 70's. He was an old boys (MCKK) class of 1974. An UMNO member, he has his own peculiar way to campaign when he introduce "lottery tickets" in his bid for a post. He has his own views on almost everything...which is in total confrontation with the mainstream thinking. But his strength is his "selling" and "influence" power where he can change other mindsets to follow his.

You want to talk about "Reformasi?". He was one of those who supported Anwar when he was dismissed as DPM. And the one who arrange for the gen-set to power Anwar's house when the electrical supply was cut off.

For those who meet him for the first time, you will be surprised with his "2 watch" gimmick just because it takes him "2 jam" to reach Temerloh, the place where he grew up. His house is just a stone's throw away from the late Sudirman Hj Arshad. Although eccentric at times, he has a clear vision of what he wanted to do. And that decision moves him from his "corporate" world to the outbacks where he pionered the "6 jahanam" 4WD group. And from there, he claimed that Noh Omar "borrow" his 6 jahanam tagline to describe the scourge of drugs.

With his Electrical Engineer background and JKR's experience, he ventured forth to help his kampung folks, from setting up an ayam kampung industry to deer farming. He tried it all....although not all are successful.

He mixed with the highs, walk along Hamid Albar, joked with Jamaluddin Jarjis, SMS "anda cemerlang" to Mukhriz, having tea chat with Nazri. He goes to the pits of Chow Kit and talk with the less fortunate, and have lunch across the back alleys of "belakang mati". He has no stops when pitting skills with Adnan of Pahang nor did he has any regrets loaning his laverda, discovery, fiat, prada to his colleagues, only to be returned damaged beyond repair.

Who amongst us, can drive to Alor Setar in the wee morning, go through meetings and travel south to JB on the same day? Who amongst us, the corporates, who can sleep at the backseat of discovery for a couple of blinks before moving on? Who amongst us, can call Kuantan from KL at 11 am in the morning and barely 2 hours later have lunch in Kuantan? That's WALSH that I knew.

Unfortunately for him...at barely passed 50, he is called to meet the Al-mighty. Al-fatihah Semuga Allah menerima Che Wan Shamsiruddin sebagai salah satu dari hamba-hambaNya yang beriman. InsyaAllah.

As for me, DNightcaller...maybe it's hightime for me to hang my keyboard and take a rest...and if I so decide to permanently fade out, forgive me if I did any wrong. Honestly, I have witheld my emotions with a tight leash, but as humans I erred.

Need some time to reflect the past and prepare for the future...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...