REDS AROUND THE WORLD: MALAYSIA
Jonno Lim, Malaysia 13 January 2009

Meet 32-year-old events manager Jonno Lim, who helps run an independent supporters’ club and gets up at the crack of dawn to catch the Reds in action with hundreds of other fans in a crowded Malaysian bar.


Like most things, my association with the Malaysian independent supporters' club started with a few beers. After meeting on the fans' forum Red and White Kop (RAWK), we decided that as there were a fair number of us Reds in the same corner of the world, the least we could do was watch a game together in a bar.

Liverpool ran home 3-0 winners over Everton at Goodison Park that day in August 2003, with Michael Owen scoring a brace and Harry Kewell getting the third goal just before the final whistle.

Having supported the club from afar for so long, it felt very special to be enjoying a Liverpool victory with a few like-minded people. I had watched the Reds with friends before, but nothing like this. Even the owner of the Boardwalk on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur was a Reds fanatic, so it became known as the closest thing any Malaysian Red could get to the special Anfield atmosphere.

There are so many Liverpool fans in this part of the world, and they all have their own story to tell. Some adopt the Reds because of their history, others simply get drawn in by the miracle of Istanbul in 2005 or the breathtaking 'Gerrard Final' of 2006.



The only reason I can offer for following the Reds is probably quite similar to most people's - all of my family are massive Liverpool fans. It goes way back to the seventies and beyond, so it was a no-brainer for me to be the same as them.

My earliest memory is of Michael Thomas and Ian Rush securing the FA Cup for Liverpool with great goals against Sunderland at Wembley in 1992. I can also vividly remember Neil 'Razor' Ruddock holding his head after scoring a late equaliser in the dramatic 3-3 draw with Manchester United in January 1994.

Nigel Clough scored twice that day, but the look on Ruddock's face will remain with me forever - the ball hit him on the top of his head before going in the net and he seemed in quite a lot of pain while celebrating his decisive goal at Anfield. I couldn't stop laughing.

As time went by, my Liverpool obsession grew. We experienced many joyous Saturday and Sunday nights at the Boardwalk over the years and celebrated many great Liverpool victories there. But our friend, Bala, soon told us he had to sell his bar and we were left with nowhere to watch our beloved Reds during the early hours of the morning over here in Malaysia.

And when the new owner of the Boardwalk told us they would not be opening for the 2007 Champions League final clash with AC Milan due to the fact it would be kicking off at 3.30am over here, we knew that we had to act quickly to find a new venue.

After a long and frustrating search, we finally found a small pub that would open for the match. We got in touch with our friends and fellow supporters to join us for the big game, as we knew that whenever Liverpool was involved in a big European game, it was guaranteed to be something special.



We only really expected about 50 people to turn up at the most, but the bar ended up being crammed full with about 200 fans, all screaming at the screen, willing on the Reds. We were all disappointed that Rafa's men did not win that night in Athens, but a few of us knew right then that not only did we need a bigger venue, but also a proper fan club to bring all of these Liverpool supporters together.

We called our new supporters' club 'MyRAWK', as most of us had met through RAWK, while the ‘My’ stands for Malaysia and also gives us a sense that a certain part of LFC can belong to us individually.

Things were tough at the beginning, but settling on the M Bar as our exclusive home for watching all the games helped us a lot. The owner agreed to open up at all the unsociable hours involved in supporting a club many miles away and laid on a host of generous drinks offers.

What started as a small MyRAWK blog soon turned into a full website, and before long we had Liverpool fans joining us from all over for our match-viewing parties. From local lawyers to homesick expats, tourists to ex players (Ian Rush once even joined us - that was a very special day), the M Bar is now full of fervent fans week in, week out. I usually take up the microphone at each event and am always proud to be the official master of ceremonies.

We even have our futsal team and are also in the process of setting up a full 11-a side side. Our interim team recently won our first trophy, the Christmas Cup and one day we hope to have a proper team which takes part in the local social league.



But due to the exchange rate and distance, not many of us have been lucky enough to get over to Anfield. I am currently saving up to make the pilgrimage one day next season with a few other fans. I'm sure that once we get up close to Liverpool's hallowed home, there will be many of us who will be close to tears, as this would be nothing short of our visiting our very own Mecca.

One of our newer members, Phil, who now lives in Liverpool, always talks about how unbelievable it is that a bunch of guys who have never seen the Reds play up close can wake up in the middle of the night to support a team who are playing nearly 7,000 miles away, only to go back to bed and rise for work less than two hours later.

But none of us at MyRAWK would have it any other way. Witnessing another Liverpool victory make all the long, sleepy days in the office after a match worth it - and believe you me, there have been a lot of those in recent years.

Ladies and Germs,

MyRawk presents their first ever community t-shirt for the liverpool loving public.

Currently available in L size in RED or WHITE, and which measures 22" across, which is basically the same width as your L sized adidas jersey.
We are also taking orders for other sizes, so do state what you need.

Priced at only RM28 each and selling fast!





Who are MyRawk?
Well, to find out more just click http://www.my-rawk.com or http://www.liverpoolfc.tv (All hail Jonno!).

For any inquiries, please email myrawk@gmail.com or call +6014 332 9718.

Onwards to no.19!!!

haihss.......really miss watching the game with you guys....this place sad eh!

Ohya.....congrats for the fantastic article at lfc.tv..nice!!!

what so sad about this place? 

where is ur linda chung avatar ?

wah Lady G is back.
seems the ball and chain is on the wrong person

I reside in Ipoh and if MyRAWK plans to start up a branch here, please do let me know 

what about malacca??

I never watch the games. Reason being every single time I watch Liverpool play, they won't win. It's not the 1st time you know, a very good example is Stoke vs Liverpool. 0 - 0    Sorry guys! No more no more hahahaha

I never watch the games. Reason being every single time I watch Liverpool play, they won't win. It's not the 1st time you know, a very good example is Stoke vs Liverpool. 0 - 0    Sorry guys! No more no more hahahaha

Last time when I was still a student, my housemates and I are hardcore Liv fans. But when we watch games with our fellow Arsenal fans (other house), 90% cannot get full points.. After that, we banned our Ars friends from watching the games with us..

what time is the man u game? maybe wanna watch

Particularly for this season, I've decided to watch every single Liverpool BPL matches by all means; even if I'm 45 - 80 mins late without Astro at my 2nd home, I'll still drive all the way to the nearest place to watch a match. In fact, I think I've watched all of the matches including the other cups except for 1 Carling Cup match because it wasn't aired. And at work, I'll try to stream online just to get a glimpse of the match. I don't know what drives me to be so hardcore this season. Maybe cos I got the tiny bit feeling inside of me that thinks this is prob our best chance to retain our league glory, even go as far for a treble. C'mon you Reds.

wargh MAN U win again 1-0..so upset...
another small deficit by manU

wargh MAN U win again 1-0..so upset...
another small deficit by manU

I guess we'll have to admit that Manu is going to be on top even for only a day this weekend. Bolton should be easy for them, looking at their records and performance at the moment.

Wigan should have be more careful. Rooney 1st minute goal cost them a lot. After the goal, they CAN defend through the whole 89' game, means they shouldn't let the goal through.

Ok. Enough on worrying other teams. We should focus on our own team and just hope and pray for the best. Everton is not easy. Even we have a good track record against them in recent years and this season they've not been performing well, I guess we need to be more careful as they may play for draw, rather to win. Evertons' fans want the bragging right but their manager want the best result which is not losing to us.

Rafa maybe cannot come to the stadium to watch the game and manage the team in front of tv set in his home. What I hope from him in this match will be a good team selection. We should focus more on offensive especially in midfield area. Pairing up Torres and Keane should do the job well up in front. But I don't think them both will start together because of the next fixture also against Everton.

Btw, is Alonso ok for next match? No news on him?

I reside in Ipoh and if MyRAWK plans to start up a branch here, please do let me know 

Is either penang/perak area i think...Not so sure about it..waiting for teeque to reply.

Northern part need rawk 

what about malacca??

haihss.......really miss watching the game with you guys....this place sad eh!

Basically the title is out of our hands once again. It is down to United to lose it as things stands now if they win their game hand which probably they will, they will surge to the top of the table. The warning signs has be there as our inability to win matches against lower oppositions cost us. As last season we draw far too often and this bad habits have re-emerge back to the team. Now it has come back to bite us back in the @$$.

“His comments on my position are totally inaccurate,” said Gill, in Macau at the launch of United’s tour of Asia, which takes place later this year.

“The reality of it is that on the FA board sit three representatives of the Premier League in Premier League chairman Dave Richards, Bolton chairman Phil Gartside and myself.

“They are elected every year by every club in the Premier League and when we are on the board we are there representing the Premier League and I am not there representing United.

Wow i didnt think i posted that many. I obviously love this forum, but probably not as much as Solstice.

Gosh, 422 post by the TS. How did you manage this feat? FT job on this thread defending our beloved reds, kudos.

nando + solstice : yup, me at penang

Benitez should keep Alonso and Agger at least till end season.
Alonso simply one of the best midfield player in the world

Know any spot good for match watching?   

Know any spot good for match watching?   

u all go walking around penang the pubs there that look ok and have liverpool posters inside

the comfort of my uncomfy home
malas go out eh
nowadays so windy some more
i think there are good liverpool pubs in town right? dunno where though

Same...wahaha...windy til my doors and windows all auto close 

Anyway, i dunno which pub also...i tot u gonna know... 

Liverpool should put a very very high price tag on Agger IF they wanna sell him to Milan. Milan should have no problem because of 100mil pounds profit on Kaka, if the deal set. But personally, Agger and Skrtel are great young assets, since Carra and Hyypia are old already. My friends and I are calling both young lads 'twin tanks',  both are great. So Liv, don't sell them unless there are anyone that can surpass them in the team, which are now none.