Indonesian gospel music used for our National Day Song

The “Janji Ditepati” (Promises Fulfilled) melody picked for National Day celebration this year is actually stolen from a gospel song by the Jakarta-based Christian band True Worshippers, featuring Indonesian songstress Ruth Sahanaya.

This is not the first time. It’s not OK to keep stealing materials from Indonesia and claiming its ours. It shows a lack of class and ethics. At least give Indonesia some credit. If a million people have already seen it on YouTube, all Malaysians will be turned off when they realize it’s not our original material. How embarrassed will we be when Indonesians spread the word (or call us out on the spot!) that we Malaysians stole their melody and made it our melody for our National Day Celebration? Come on Rais Yatim you can do better than this! Please lah this is melody picked for our National Day celebration. You just cannot steal ideas, vibe, style… etc… Indonesians are going to say we Malaysians are master of stealing their original ideas and commercializing them and claiming its ours. Worst still we use it for our National Day Celebration.

Watch both the videos and make your own conclusion guys. Rais Yatim says its our version, what rubbish.

(Indonesian gospel song titled “Serukan Namanya” (Call out His name))

(“Janji Ditepati” lyrics, penned by Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim)

Desert Rose by Sting

Desert Rose by Sting is also  featured by Aishwarya Rai in one of the videos.

Used to listen a lot to “The Police” during my Uni days.

Sting a schoolteacher used to be lead singer and bassist with the English rock band The Police before he went into solo career. Sting got his inspiration and his music was very much influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Cream. One of my all-time favorite is “Every Breath You Take”.

I want you guys to listen to Desert Rose and to me its so meaningful and here is the lyrics…

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of fire
Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in the flames
Her shadows play in the shape of a man’s desire

This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

And as she turns
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams
This fire burns
I realize that nothing’s as it seems

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of rain
I lift my gaze to empty skies above
I close my eyes
This rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of her love

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

Sweet desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

Sweet desert rose
This memory of Eden haunts us all
This desert flower
This rare perfume, is the sweet intoxication of the fall

This Is For Yasmin Ahmad

I hardly watched Malay movies except for the many P Ramlee’s movies which was a must,  but, when I saw SEPAT, I was truly impressed and amazed by the the story telling ability of the director Yasmin Ahmad. To me, Yasmin is really an excellent Malaysian Movie Director and her work in SEPAT was thought provoking where she takes us to look at how two young lovers from totally different background cope with family and social pressure. If anyone of you have not seen SEPAT, watch it and see what I meant.

Even Yasmin’s Anak Malaysia, a Petronas TV commercial was also too good for our time when our racial harmony is so fractured. See how Yasmin in this commercial shows us how racial harmony should breathe in Malaysia.

It is sad and a great loss for all Malaysians to hear that Yasmin Ahmad had passed away.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to her husband and family.

Al-Fatihah.

This is Yasmin’s blogs  The Storyteller 1 and  The Storyteller 2. which is a must for all to visit.

Farewell, Michael Jackson!

Michael Jackson is a musical genius and an icon of my generation a true LEGEND. In my mind, The King of the Pop will always be Micheal Jackson the undisputed king, just like Elvis the  King of Rock and Roll.

I have many fond memories that come with MJ’s music from the days of Jackson 5. Regardless of this personal life, he was a musical and entertainment genius and he personified an era. The world has lost someone that has defined a generation.

I find it amazing how everyone in the media are now paying tribute to him and saying how great he was but when he was down in the dumps, accused of sexual child molestation, these very people were nowhere to be found or just throwing all kind of shit at him…Its really sad how people say nasty things about you when you are alive but when you die, all you hear are nice things being said. How ironic.

 We mourn the passing away of a legend, who brought the world together much more than any politician. In MJ’s words, his was a world of “neither black or white”  although MJ himself went to great lengths to change his own colour.

The world today is grieving for MJ because he brought great joy to all of us through his music and his dance moves. Remember Moon Walk?

Despite MJ’s obvious poor health condition, he was signed up to perform in 50 shows in London. Its sheer madness. Imagine, the tickets for the shows were all sold out in an hour. But there was also a price to be paid as MJ prepared for the tour. The toll must have been too much for MJ.

There’s a lump of sadness in my throat that won’t go away now.

Michael, the world would never forget you and your songs.  I’m “speechless”. Rest in peace Wacko Jacko!

Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Album Poster Sold For US$52,500

This is one of my favorite quote which was made by Late George Harrison a long time ago, “The only thing which is important in life is karma.”

And this is for all the Beatles fans including me….

A souvenir poster of Beatles’ iconic rock and roll album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” went under the hammer for USD 52,500 at a Christie’s auction of pop culture memorabilia that saw total sales of USD 650,862.

The auction of 193 lots featured a variety of Hollywood music, sports, and pop culture ephemera.

The Sgt Pepper poster had signatures of all four Beatles — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in blue ink circa 1967.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the The Beatles. Recorded over a 129-day period beginning on December 6, 1966. Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band the album was released on 1967 June 1 in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States. Sgt. Pepper is recognized as one of the most influential albums of all time. It was ranked the greatest album of all time by the Rolling Stone in 2003.

Alternative rock icon Kurt Cobain’s Sears bass guitar sold for USD 43,750, while a classic black leather motorcycle jacket signed by members of his band Nirvana and Soundgarden fetched USD 12,500.

A set of rare handwritten and partial lyrics for the song “With God On Our Side” from Bob Dylan’s seminal 1964 album “The Times They Are A-Changin” sold for USD 25,000.

An original script of “The Godfather” signed by Marlon Brando in blue ink fetched USD 10,625 while a pair of handwritten and signed cheques of Marilyn Monroe sold for USD 4,750.

A R Rahman:From Kollywood to Bollywood to Hollywood

The Mozart of Madras, A. R. Rahman has put Indian music on the map, with his latest achievement of two Oscars.

In the summer of 1992, India experienced a new sound. Be it ‘chinna china aasai’ or ‘choti si aasha’, the song captured hearts, marked a beginning and introduced a name. Allah Rakha Rahman. A name that became a chant on Monday.

As a four-year-old, Dilip, as Rahman was then known, was seen toying with a harmonium. That was when the composer Sudharshanam Master playfully tossed a towel over the instrument. Undeterred, the boy repeated the tune he had been trying out — to the astonishment of his father R.K. Shekhar. It was the early sign of genius.

Not surprisingly, academics did not figure high on his priorities. His sister Rahane recounts that all his school notebooks remained literally unopened. “Nothing interested him as much as music.”

He lost his father when he was barely 10. “Yes, it was a challenging time. But our mother made sure we did not feel the burden,” says Ms. Rahane, recalling a time that brought the siblings close to one another.

Malayalam music composer M.K. Arjunan was the first to assign Rahman keyboard duties for his 1981 film Ernadu Mannu. Rahman was paid MR5/=, his first income from the film industry. The keyboard took him to maestro Illayaraja’s studios too.

In the mid and late 1980s, Tamil audiences savoured the Leo Coffee ad which had Rahman’s signature stamped on it. The world of jingles had found its new poster boy.

But he belonged elsewhere. Kollywood was then hunting for a new music director. “Mani Ratnam referred to me a boy named Dilip who was doing a lot of good jingles,” says veteran director K. Balachander, recalling the making of Roja.

“The first song which was recorded was ‘Chinna chinna aasai’.” A tape was sent to him for approval. He listened to it driving his car. He ended up listening to it 15 times over. “I sent a note back to Mani Ratnam saying this was the best song of the decade.”

What followed reads like a long-list of ‘best songs of decades to come’. Be it Prabhu Deva gyrating to ‘Chikku bukku’ in Gentleman, the magnificence of ‘Chandralekha’ in Thiruda Thiruda, the tug-at-your-heartstrings ‘Uyirae’ from Bombay, or the stirring ‘New York nagaram’ from Sillunu Oru Kaadal – any attempt to pick favourites falls flat.

Charmed by his lilting blockbusters, Bollywood did not take long to embrace Rahman.

 There was no ‘Kya Karen ya na karen’ dilemma in continuing the journey that began with Rangeela in 1995. From Sukhwinder Singh’s ‘Chaiyya chaiyya’ to ‘Masakkali’ in Dilli 6, his romance with Bollywood continues.

 The West first spotted his talent in Bombay Dreams, an Andrew Lloyd Webber production in 2002. From then on, recognition in Hollywood was but a small step.

Rahman rode on the Slumdog Millionaire sensation across the United States picking up several awards in the run-up to the Oscar night.

We Are The Champions by Freddy Mercury:Specially Dedicated To The Folks In Kuala Terengganu

Well done KTites. Well done Barisan Rakyat! you all have done a great job in KT.

I shall dedicate “We Are The Champions” by  Freddy Mercury-Queen, for this victory.

BN as a viable coalition is on its way out. We are the champions! We are the champions!

 

Malaysia’s latest Datuk -Shah Rukh Khan – the king of Bollywood!

Finally last night, India’s top Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was conferred the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) award which carries the title Datuk by the Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob.

We’ve just given yet another title to someone who couldn’t give a fuck about whether he had it or not, someone who does not even know where in the world map Malacca can be located.

This is one big joke. Even the Indian cleaner in my condo is making fun out of this.

I  somehow understood when Michelle Yeoh was given the title. If you think about it, she’s Malaysian, and she has promoted Malaysia so much. She deserves the recognition.

Again, I completely agree with the Datukship given to squash player, Nicol David. She is the World No. 1 in women’s squash since 2005, and won the British Open in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and  not to mention winning the Asian Championships for a record of five times. How many can EVER reach this height in this country? I’m sure not even out of this country can we find any reaching the level of Nicol.

And there are so many other more deserving people out there in this country – people who are actually trying to make a change, the unsung heroes. The people who worked behind charities and non governmental groups like orphanages, St Nicholas Home of the Blind, Old Folks Homes, RSPCA, so many more of them.

And how about our David Arumugam who has done so much for our music scene? David popularlised Malay songs to so many. Our M Nasir? Our Blues Gang? Ramli Sarip? So many more great artist who have done so much for the Malaysian music scene.

THESE are the kind of people who Malaysia should be recognising.

Read below …..

MALACCA, Malaysia, Dec 6, 2008 (AFP) – India’s top Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan will star in a new movie exploring the issue of Islam in the post 9/11 world and the misperception that all Muslims are terrorists.

“My Name is Khan” tells the story of six people with Muslim surnames who suffer suspicion and prejudice years after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

“The movie is about a Muslim person’s strife (in telling) people that ‘my name is Khan but I am not a terrorist’,” Khan told reporters after being conferred the governors’ award in the southwestern Malaysian state of Malacca in recognition of his 2001 film “One 2 Ka 4”, which was set there and boosted its profile as a tourist destination.

The Indian Muslim actor, whose wife is Hindu, also condemned religious fundamentalism and denounced acts of violence, saying that the Koran does not preach terror.

“Islam does not in any which way tell you to be violent,” he said. “I think the whole concept of jihad, the whole concept of warring needs to be explained as Allah meant it to be in the Koran,” Khan said.

“(The film) is an attempt to try and do that in an entertaining way.”

Filmmaker Karan Johar will direct while top Bollywood actress Kajol Mukherjee, who has acted in several blockbusters with Khan in the past, will co-star.

Filming is due to begin later this month in Los Angeles and is scheduled for release a year later, Khan said.

The Bollywood star’s comments follow last week’s 60-hour Mumbai siege in which 10 Islamic militants attacked multiple targets including the landmark Taj Mahal hotel, killing 163 people including 26 foreigners.

Nine militants were killed, while one was captured alive.

New Delhi has increasingly pointed at Islamabad over the attack which has enraged public opinion and badly hit relations between the neighbours.

Earlier a crowd of more than 500 people thronged the Malacca state secretariat building to witness Khan being conferred the governor’s award.

The 42-year-old heart-throb is well-loved in Malaysia, a popular location for Indian films which have a huge following among ethnic Indians and the majority Muslim-Malays.

Sudirman’s house burnt down

Very sad news for Sudirman’s fans and music history buffs in Malaysia, the old home of Sudi — the only house  — was engulfed in flames and destroyed yesterday in Temerloh, Pahang.

Lets pay a little tribute to Abang Sudi here… Sudi is known as “Malaysia’s No 1 Entertainer” of the 80’s, the ‘Singing Lawyer’, the ‘People’s Singer’ and the ‘Elvis of Malaysia’.

Our Late Sudirman Arshad is also famous for his first time ever held in Malaysia, an open air street concert, in Chow Kit Road which drew nearly 100,000 people on a Monday night in KL on the 15th of April, 1986. That night, KL came to a standstill and it jammed the whole stretch of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman to Jalan Raja Alang. KLites talk about this event even now. The Star newspaper said the next day,  “KL came to a standstill and it had nothing to do with the recession but with a one man, Malaysia’s top entertainer, an electrifying performance and most memorable night”. And that was Sudi the Legend.

Sudirman was rumored to have died from AIDS and it was a hot topic in the 90s. The cause of his death became a topic of discussion among the media and the masses with some speculating that his actual cause of death took place even earlier than recorded and was believed that he was buried in the UK. It was later announced that Abang Sudi died of a cerebrovascular stroke.

He died at 4am, 22nd February 1992, aged 37.

Read below what Bernama had to say….

TEMERLOH: The home of Asia’s number one entertainer, the late Sudirman Arshad, at Kampung Bukit Tok Embun, Mentakab, near here, was destroyed in a fire at about 4am Wednesday.

Mentakab Fire and Rescue station chief Assistant Superintendent Md Yusof Mustafa said the fire was believed to have been caused by a lit candle, probably left by drug addicts who had been using the house, left empty since a few years ago, as their haunt. However, the forensics team from the Fire and Rescue Department was investigating to determine the real cause of the fire as well as losses incurred, he added. He said the station was informed that an electric pole, which is about 15 metres from the house, was on fire, but on arrival at the scene saw the house was also gutted. “When firemen got there, about 90 per cent of the house had been gutted by fire,” he told reporters here,Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a neighbour, Ramlah Daud, 43, said she realised the late Sudirman’s house was on fire when she woke up to check on an explosion she heard at about 4am. “Then I saw sparks from the fire hitting an electric pole nearby and contacted the Fire and Rescue station for fear that the fire would also spread to my house and a few other houses nearby,” she said.

Sudirman’s brother-in-law, Ahmad Nizam Hamid, did not rule out the possibility of the house becoming a haunt for drug addicts, having found some drugs paraphernalia like tin foil and needles there. “I had also lodged police reports when the iron grilles and the roofing of the house went missing,” he added. He said the late Sudirman was born at a house at Jalan Ibrahim in the Temerloh old town, but later moved to the house at Kampung Bukit Tok Embun, where he grew up and completed his secondary school before continuing his study in law at Universiti Malaya. – Bernama