“Warisan” was written by Syed Haron Syed Ahmad and performed by Sudirman Hj Arshad way back in 1982 – and now beautifully rendered by Poovaa (born Poovanesvary Sri Rama):
I’m sure Sudirman would have been really proud of this cover. A heartrending song that is deeply moving. I have goosebumps!
Poovaa says she hoped her version would spur love for the nation amongst all of us.
Google paid tribute to late Sudirman Hj Arshad with a special Saturday "doodle". He would’ve been 65 yesterday.
His legion of fans knew him simply as Sudirman (left), singer, songwriter, visual artist, author and actor.
A lawyer by profession, he started his singing career after winning Bintang RTM on August 11, 1976.
On April 15, 1986, Sudirman performed at an open-air concert on Kuala Lumpur’s Chow Kit Road, which was the first time ever that a street concert drew a 100,000-strong crowd on a Monday night. Lifted above the audience by crane, he sent the Malaysian crowd wild with his rousing performance.
In fact, the English daily, The Star wrote that "Kuala Lumpur came to a standstill”!
In 1989, Sudirman won acclaim at the Asian Popular Music Awards at London's Royal Albert Hall, when he sang his signature hit "A Thousand Million Smiles" and a rendition of "Send In The Clowns" with choreography that paid tribute to Charlie Chaplin – that performance immediately raised his profile internationally.
He was even appointed a "Singing Ambassador" by the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism – and he could sing not only in Malay and English but also Tamil, Tagalog, Korean and a couple of Chinese dialects.
Sudirman died from pneumonia at the age of 37 on February 22, 1992.
My selection of three of my favorite Sudirman numbers: Merisik Khabar (1986) Antara Hujan dan Airmata (1989); and One Thousand Million Smiles (1989):
Yesterday, I was at the BJRA Community Center, Dewan Kosmos in Bukit Jelutong in Shah Alam, Selangor. I attended the Kota Anggerik Toastmasters meeting there – my thanks to VP Public Relations Hilal Adnan for getting me a speaking slot too.
I presented another CC #10 speech titled My Public Speaking Mojo. And wow, their club president Shafiq Shamshir was my evaluator. This was my fourth project speech this week:
On February 11, 2018, I was at The Play Haus, a performance art theatre in Pearl Shopping Gallery in Jalan Kelang Lama, Kuala Lumpur to watch Emily of Emerald Hill. And I was fortunate to be given a seat in the second row at the front.
This monologue play is immensely popular and it has been staged since 1984 – and I only caught it this time around.
Emily of Emerald Hill is a nostalgic re-enactment of the glorious days of the Peranakan (Straits-born) Chinese in Singapore. The commonsense portrayal of the protagonist Emily in a multiplicity of roles, starting as a daughter to becoming a daughter-in-law, wife, mother and matriarch presents us with a tapestry of multi-layered perspectives of a lavish Baba-Nyonya lifestyle underpinned by wealth and status.
There is nothing kitsch about this play – instead, it exudes rich intentions, authentic realism and charming elegance.
And the formidable Pearlly Chua stylishly performed with put-on panache – and bringing me back to the good old days that I could only read about but would never experience.
I will readily admit that the 100-minute production gave me a concise yet compelling insight into a vanishing Peranakan culture and a slice of the history of Singapore (which is not unlike Malaysia).
It was a narrative that I could easily relate to and I am sure, with many others too. More so, since I am a Peranakan.
A sparse setting. A down-to-earth script. A single character. And uncomplicated circumstances –these were all completely recognizable. A fascinating story because it tells of a feisty woman fighting for acceptance and at the same time, securing her position as the ‘first lady’ in a stifling environment that overflows with social norms and patriarchy. She has to pay a heavy price too – having had to grapple with her eldest son’s suicide and her estrangement from her husband.
After so many performances – the show still stayed true and portrayed just as lovingly. Pearlly Chua was eloquent, expressive and evocative. A remarkable actor – this was her 201st performance, I’m told.
Emily of Emerald Hill was written by award-winning Singaporean playwright Stella Kon and directed by world renowned Malaysian director Chin San Sooi.
I actually asked Chin if Chua was ever tired of reprising her role as Emily Gan umpteenth times – and he responded that he knew the latter did not feel that way. Passion drove her and it still does.
As the drama unfolded, I was gripped to my seat. I was immersed into the storyline straightaway. I was engaged, engrossed, enthralled.
Thank you for the play that celebrates the strength and stamina of the human spirit allowing it to survive, succeed, and still stay relevant in an ever-changing world.
Congratulations to everybody for bringing back this show. And for a worthy cause too!
This was Chin’s fund-raising initiative to raise funds for retired composer and songwriter Ooi Eow Jin (pic below).
Ooi – who collaborated with entertainers such as P Ramlee and Sudirman Arshad in a career that spanned four decades – has been stricken with Alzheimer's disease since 2015.
