KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Today holds a profoundly special and deeply meaningful significance not only for the country but also for the local entertainment industry, particularly each time May 25 arrives. Often, this date passes by quietly and unnoticed, even though it holds immense importance in our nation’s entertainment world and ought to be commemorated. It was on this very date that entertainer extraordinaire, the late Datuk Sudirman Arshad, was born.
He was Malaysia’s first singer to be honoured with the prestigious title of ‘Asia’s No 1 Performer’ during the Asian Popular Music Awards competition held at the prestigious London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1989. This astounding achievement saw him triumph over eight other prominent Asian luminaries, including the late Cantopop legend Leslie Cheung from Hong Kong, the Philippines’ songstress Kuh Ledesma and Singapore’s Best Entertainer, the Las Vegas-based Anita Sarawak. However, it is bewildering and somewhat disheartening that more than three decades after this legendary singer left us, his monumental struggles and sacrifices still largely go unrecognised, even though his soulful songs continue to resonate deeply with music aficionados across the country.
This is not a recurring lament; countless times the passionate voices and fervent hopes of the nation’s artists have implored the relevant authorities to honour the legacy of this native of Temerloh, Pahang, recognising his invaluable contributions in eleva.
