Miri:The passing of Rumpun Silat Sarawak (RSS) president Muhammad Haneef Ali has been described as a significant loss to the martial arts community by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Muhammad Haneef died at 1227 noon at the age of 78, as confirmed by a statement from RSS. Born in Miri, he began his journey in silat at the age of nine and dedicated his life to the martial art.

Muhammad Haneef served as RSS secretary-general from 1987 to 2014 before taking on the role of president until his passing. He was also the chief instructor of Seni Silat Helang Putih Perkasa Sarawak and held the position of Vice-President II of the Malaysian National Silat Federation (PESAKA) from 1994 to 1996. His expertise extended to serving as a national referee and judge.

His contributions to silat were acknowledged with the Jasamu Dikenang Award from PESAKA Malaysia in 2024. Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof expressed his condolences in a Facebook post, highlighting Muhammad Haneef's enduring impact and offering prayers for his forgiveness and blessings.