KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — When it comes to patriotic songs, the name Datuk Sudirman Haji Arshad will come to mind.
The strong spirit of patriotism in this Temerloh-born lad was also reflected in his attire during his performance, being the first Malaysian performer to design his costume with the Malaysian flag.
His songs, like ‘Warisan’ and ‘Tanggal 31 Ogos’, continue to fill the air each time the country celebrates Merdeka Day, despite his passing 22 years ago.
Sudirman’s former manager, Dani’el Dharanee Dharan Kannan, said the singer, who started his singing career after winning the “Bintang RTM” singing contest, was truly a Malaysian singer and deserved to be known as the “Icon of National Unity”.
Sudirman was not only a singer, he was also an actor, a cartoonist and a lawyer.
The singer lawyer was born on May 25, 1954 and died on Feb 22, 1992.
“Sudirman carried an image of unity, His concerts were never a failure, always crowded with people from all walks of life and from various background and race,” he told Bernama when met after appearing as a guest on Bernama Radio 24 “Dalam Radar” programme recently.
Dani’el said Sudirman’s love for the country was very strong that he always brought along “Malaysia” in all his performances.
“He received many invitations to perform abroad, and was proud whenever he donned the ‘baju Melayu’ with the songkok,” he added.
The first line in the lyrics of his song “Warisan”, besides being made the the theme of this year’s Merdeka Day celebration, is also the title of the theme song for the celebration this year.
“It is impossible to find a substitute for Sudirman,” said Dani’el, who was Sudirman’s manager for five years, between 1987 and 1992.
He said it was because of the love for the country that prompted Sudirman to produce the album “Abadi” in 1982.
Meanwhile, composer Fauzi Marzuki described Sudirman as a disciplined singer who performed with his soul to not let down his fans.
“He is the one and only Sudirman. We can never find another like him,” he added. — Bernama
