Konsert R(A) – Updated Poster Details Promo…
I had uploaded a promo poster of the abovementioned event a few weeks ago, but the line-up has since changed. Avara, has been replaced by Matta Band, the group who made the song “Ketahuan” famous back in 2007. And as an added bonus, three local acts will be featured in this concert. You might have heard of the Anugerah Band 2008 champions, Rancour. But you might not have heard much of Sarah Liyana and Zul Hilmi unless you’re avid listeners of the “Go Glam” segment on RIA 897FM, hosted by Hafeez Glamour or if you’re the kind who scours Youtube for unpolished diamonds. I think for the price of $68, you’re getting value for money with five good acts, and I’m sure the young upstarts from Singapore will not disappoint. If you’re free this Sunday and have nothing else to do, why not head down to Grassroots Club Auditorium and enjoy the concert, which is organised by fans of music, rather than the usual event promoters, a first of its kind in Singapore…
Video courtesy of Sarah Liyana Musa
Rita Zahara’s “Malay Heritage Cooking” Book Launch…
Have you ever been left feeling at a loss over what to cook for the family daily or simply have no idea how to whip up a simple Malay dish if you’re alone or abroad??? I’m sure many of you out there must have gone through those moments of dilemma from time to time. I used to hear that from my mother before I got married, and now the whole cycle repeats itself with the queen at home asking the same set of questions almost every weekends. For a family that eats just a simple dish daily, perhaps they might not face this problem, but when you have different family members with different taste-buds and preferences (or dislikes) for certain dishes, more often than not, the person doing the cooking will be cracking their heads over what to cook, just so they could please everyone at home. Fret not, because the recently-launched “Malay Heritage Cooking” book, written by Rita Zahara, is the answer to your cooking needs.
The book, which is published by Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) in hardback, is the third publication from the “Singapore Heritage Cookbooks” series, which showcases delicacies from the different communities in Singapore, the Indian, Peranakan, Malay, Eurasian and Chinese communities. The cookbook contains sixty different known and traditional recipes, synonymous with our Malay community. The heritage cookbook series aims to document and preserve the cultural and culinary heritage of the different ethnic communities, passed on with passion from generation to generation and this particular book was inspired no less by the recipes taught to the author by her late mother and grandmother. Additionally, readers get the value-added feature of learning the history of Rita‘s family and their contributions to society, particularly her late grandmother, Che’ Zahara, whom she was named after, who was a well-respected philanthropist and a moving force behind the proliferation of the Women’s Charter in Singapore. Not surprising that this book is well-backed and supported by our very own National Heritage Board.
Introducing Rita Zahara – The author of the “Malay Heritage Cooking” book…
For those still wondering who the author is or have some vague memories of her, well you might have seen her covering news events on location or reading the news on News 5 Tonight on Channel 5, ChannelNewsAsia or Berita @ Suria on Mediacorp Suria some years ago. For a period of time, she was also one of the anchors for ESPN‘s Sportscenter programme on ESPN Star Sports channel. What many of us do not know, me included, is that Rita Zahara has been a guest judge / panelist in several food festivals in Singapore and Malaysia. Reading the “About The Author” section of her cookbook, I also learned that she is also heavily involved in humanitarian work for Muslim communities in Asia, empowering women and children with access to education. Certainly an influential person in our community, an asset that we should be proud of.
This book launch might have been more than a fortnight old, but memories of how grand and regal it was are still fresh in my head. As I had told the author of the aforementioned book herself when she was signing the cookbook for my missus and mother, this was one of the, if not THE grandest book launch I’ve ever attended. For those who know Rita well enough, they would acknowledge that any production that she comes up with, she will pull out all the stops to ensure guests have something memorable they could go home with, and this book launch was certainly one of them. From the decorations outside the Vanda Ballroom of Marina Mandarin Hotel where the event was held, to the ones inside, the tight four-piece percussion band playing traditional / classic hits, the opening dance item by Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts Ltd., right down to the glorious spread of food, it was a launch fit for a king and was attended by about 250 people, some of whom are distinguished personalities in our community lending their support.
The hosts: Adi Rahman and Steve Dawson…
The amazing part about this book launch was that it was conceived and planned within three weeks by Rita and her sisters, Rita Zarina and Rita Zuhaida, that too taking into accounts the Christmas and New Year holidays. They were certainly blessed with the kind help from no less than twenty-eight sponsors and friends, who came forward to help one way or another to ensure that the launch was a resounding success. The goodie bags that we received upon buying the cookbooks contained, a Satay set and a $30 voucher by Tupperware, a brand name which is no stranger to us. Besides the items sponsored by Tupperware, there were also a book on microwave cooking and a publication by Marina Mandarin Hotel. With that kind of goodwill support from the various sponsors, it was no wonder that during her speech, Rita made the effort to thank each and everyone who had helped from the time the book was conceived, to the day of its official launch.
A feature of the book launch was the live recording of the semi-final rounds of Queen Juara Memasak, the reality cooking show currently shown on Mediacorp Suria and produced by Mediamorphosis. The segment of the semi-final round, was recorded in front of the audience and it required the four semi-finalists to weave the ketupat, something which most of us from the younger generation have no idea on how to go about doing it, me included. Out of respect for the show, I did not take photographs nor recorded the segment, and for those who had missed out on watching it when it was aired last Tuesday, you can do so by going to the XinMSN/catchup website. The best part about this segment was when Rita herself joined in weaving the ketupat and she did it all in two minutes!!! She started weaving slightly later than the contestants and finished doing it much earlier than them, a sign that the years of helping out in the kitchen with her late mother, did not go to waste at all. It is quite a skill to learn and execute, and my word, that was impressive!!!
Rita answering questions during the Q&A session…
Lest I forget, the winner of the Queen Juara Memasak programme will be featured in Rita‘s upcoming cookbook, which will feature contemporary Malay dishes by successful / influential Malay personalities in their respective fields, across Asia. The “Malay Heritage Cooking” book is now retailing at $38 (before GST) from good stores such as Kinokuniya, Times and Popular. You can also get it online via NoQ. Amazon will start to sell it from February 2012 onwards. An added feature that will be introduced in the not-so-distant future will be the cookbook being made available on e-book format. A simple click on a particular recipe and one would be able to view how the cooking is done or how a dish is prepared. That is how technology has evolved and we’re able to enjoy the interactive features introduced to us.
The missus tried out one of the recipes, “Mee Telur Daging“, and I have to say, it was heavenly. No, I’m not saying this because I have to say nice things about her cooking or give face to the author, but because the cookbook, was really helpful in introducing us to a new dish we are able to try out and enjoy. I’m sure the other dishes that my wife will whip up in future from the cookbook will be delectable as well. Even though I have only tried out just one recipe so far, I strongly recommend you to get this as this is very useful for cooking beginners, for those abroad missing simple Malay dishes and even for those who are new to our dishes. Not only does the book have recipes, but the author took great pains to talk about each and every single one of them, relating how the dishes are linked to the community, its history or even memories whilst helping her late mother in the kitchen. Like what the guest-of-honour of the book launch, Dr. Fatimah Lateef, had mentioned in a television interview, this book is indeed a treasure…
Snapshots of the Book Launch
Symbols of our culture and heritage greeted us at the front door…
Guests lining up to buy the cookbooks outside the event venue…
Guests awaiting for the event to begin…
A familiar face spotted amongst the list of guests is local actress Ariati Tyeb Papar…
Another one was Marina Yusoff, seen here with her equally famous parents-in-law flanking her…
So too was Nurul Aini, the host of Queen Juara Memasak…
Adi Rahman looking suave in his traditional outfit…
While Steve Dawson was all business-like…
The event was graced by the traditional Malay dance item performed by Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts group…
Rita Zahara with her opening speech…
She broke down when she was speaking about her mother, I too felt a lump in my throat and tears welled in my eyes at this point…
The guest-of-honour, Dr. Fatimah Lateef, MP for Marine Parade GRC…
The cake cutting ceremony. The cake was made to look like the cookbook. A pity I did not get a snapshot of it, as many people had gone up to see and eventually taking a piece of it to eat…
The percussion band that played traditional and evergreen hits…
Madam Som Said and daughter-in-law, Marina Yusoff, endorsing the book…
Rita signing the book for my mother…
Video Highlights of Konsert Misteri Jam 12: Jangan Takut Hantu…
Start of a brand new work / school week for working adults and school-going children / teenagers. I know Monday is quite a blue day for some, if not most of us. In the last entry, I did mention that I was going to upload video clips on the above subject matter, the sold-out Konsert Misteri Jam 12: Jangan Takut Hantu held at Fort Canning Park on New Year’s Day. So wait no more as I have compressed the night’s happenings into three parts. Apologies if the sound you hear is not of good quality. I was seated quite close to the speakers that night, so I dunno if that might have an impact on what you would be hearing. Thank you to everyone who dropped by to read the last entry last Friday, which resulted in my readership jumping four-folds. I normally struggle to get a daily visitorship of even 300, so that was quite a memorable day to savour. Thanks to DJ KC for promoting my entry on his Facebook page…
Konsert Misteri Jam 12: Jangan Takut Hantu…
For regular readers of this blog, I know this comes as a massive surprise to you, but no, I was not at The Float @ Marina Bay for Countdown 2012, even though one of my favourite singers, Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, was performing on my 33rd birthday. I was happily relaxing and watching the show from the comfort of home, and I would have probably gone had my favourite team not played that night. But the night of rest did me good as I welcomed 2012 by attending the RIA 897FM-organised “Konsert Misteri Jam 12: Jangan Takut Hantu” event held at Fort Canning Park on the first day of the new Gregorian calendar. I have been delaying this particular entry for the fact that I have been quite busy, to the point I was reminded to post this entry as soon as possible by none other than the creative mind behind the success of the most highly rated programme on the radio station, none other than DJ KC himself.
Speaking as the co-administrator of the official blog of the said programme, I have witnessed first hand how the show has evolved since he took over the helm some four years ago from the previous incumbent Zan Sofiyan. KC has done such a fantastic job to lift the quality standards of the programme to the point that his occasional absences through leave or sickness is lamented by fans on the station’s official Facebook page Wall. Even when there were occasions he was not feeling well, he soldiered on, or came back just to do the two hour programme, its popularity spreading across the world with the availability of internet radio and via radio applications on smart phones. I know how popular it is just by looking at the number of emails received by fans of the programme who shared their personal experiences, a bulk of them coming from across the Causeway, as well as as far away as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, even Dubai. The show is such a hit that to have a concert was a good way to show the station’s appreciation to the fans.
This popularity was very much evident on the day of the concert, when 6000-odd fans thronged the lush lawns of the Fort Canning Park. When I reached the venue close to 6pm, a long queue had formed outside the entrance. I was fortunate enough to get a parking lot as a vehicle had moved off just as I was nearing it. We were allowed in at about 6:20pm and it was a sight to behold seeing the area being filled to its brim. I have never seen a local concert filled with just local acts get such a positive response as this. But then again, the topic of the supernatural has always been a fascinating and intriguing one in our community so it was no surprise that even without big names to grace the event, the theme itself guaranteed bums on the lush green grass of the venue. And I believe this was the first supernatural-themed concert held in a grand way in Singapore. Forget any Halloween-related parties, but correct me please if I’m wrong here.
I was pleased to know that a space was set aside for concert-goers to observe their obligatory responsibilities and it was heartening to see quite a number of people observing them judging by the queues and patient waiting outside the area. The only thing I was a little peeved about was why did the pre-show host, who happened to be one half of the hosts during the Grand Final of the Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 tournament, choose to use the time between 7:10pm and 7:45pm to hype the crowd and encouraging them to make a lot of noise??? I personally felt it was disrespectful to those who were observing their responsibilities. He could have at least started say around 7:30pm, not right smack when people were saying their prayers. I dunno if this was the station’s decision to hype the crowd as early as possible or was it the pre-show host’s own doing, but I hope in future, a little amount of respect would be observed. I’m sure for anyone who observes their daily obligations, they hate to be interrupted or disturbed by things happening around them and want full concentration.
Fiza O and Hassan Salleh…
The show began with the hosts Fiza O and Hassan Salleh, the station’s programme director coming on stage dressed as what appeared to be hideous characters. Not sure what character was Mr Hassan supposed to be portraying as he was dressed what appeared to be “Hantu Kum-Kum“, but Fiza was dressed as a “Langsuir” complete with make up on her lower neck to show that her head was previously “detached” from her body. As they welcomed us to the show and thanked the various sponsors, they also took the time to remind the audience that the concert also marked the official launch of the “Misteri Jam 12: Jangan Takut Hantu” VCD / CD containing horror-themed songs normally heard during the weekly two-hour programme. These songs were composed and performed by our local acts as well as DJ KC himself. The VCD / CD also contains a short film titled “Saka Mak Minah” and acted by none other than the deejays themselves. On top of that, there are short video clips of KC reading ghost stories at locations in Singapore regarded as haunted. The VCD / CD was sold at a special rate of $18.00 that night whereas it is available in good stores today at a price of $19.90. Suffice to say, the popularity of the programme guaranteed three-thousand odd copies being sold that night!!!
Besides the concert marking a milestone for the radio station with the launch of the VCD / CD, it also coincided with the annual Projek Rentak competition organised by RIA 897FM and COMPASS. As the theme of this concert was of the supernatural and horror, songs composed for this competition also had to have the same or related theme. The three finalists who came on stage to perform their songs – Klutz (“Mentera Dendam Puteri“), Iskandar Rawi (“Lari“) and Md Bakti Ridhwan (“Madah Pohon Beringin“) did not disappoint. Each song and performance had their own strengths and speciality. In the end, the humour-infused “Lari” was chosen as the winner of the competition, even though my personal favourite was Klutz‘s “Mentera Dendam Puteri“, who came in second. Md Bakti Ridhwan‘s “Madah Pohon Beringin“ bagged the Best Performance of the night to go along with the second-runner up tag that he received. All the compositions were judged by Brader Bo, Moliano, Sham Wahab and Noor Hasnah Adam; music producers, composers and lyricists in their own rights. The Best Performance category was judged by Dr. Edmund Lam, president of COMPASS and Ms Zakiah Halim, Assistant Vice-President of Malay / Indian / Expat Programming for Mediacorp Radio.
Iskandar Rawi (second from right) was the winner of Projek Rentak: MJ12, seen here with Ms. Zakiah Halim and his fellow performers receiving their award…
I will not delve too much about the other performances and segments that night as you would be able to view them in the video montage that I will put up in due time. I was suitable impressed with the guest band that was formed (they called themselves “The Momoks“), led by Brader Bo, with Fadly of X-Tech / No Strings Attached fame on lead vocals. Fans of the 2008 Anugerah Band competition would remember Fadly for the vocal powerhouse that he is, and that night he whipped the crowd into frenzy with his unmatched prowess. I know that certain quarters complained that it felt more like a rock concert but I thought the songs performed that night were given a fresh injection with much needed energy. As the title of the concert had stated, “Jangan Takut Hantu“, the pumped-up feeling I got from the blasting music sure as hell made me forget about being scared of ghosts. If that was their intention by playing that kind of loud music, then I think they have achieved their aim. Other local acts who performed that night were Shafyre, Kraton, Rifaah Ridzuwanulhakim of 2D fame and B8, whom I heard, regrouped again specially for that night only.
One itinerary in the programme line-up that had the crowd in stitches was the “Momok Paling Sachok” segment. Concert-goers were encouraged to dress as ghosts, even the stagehands and concert crew were dressed as scary characters. Most notable of all was one of the crew members (if I’m not mistaken, it’s DJ Harie Azhari of XFM 963FM / Warna 942FM), who portrayed the irritating “Makcik Keropok“ by walking to and fro giving crackers and asking for money in return. The five finalists who went on stage for that particular segment certainly had to be given full marks for the effort they came up with. I must say most in the audience were also very much impressed by their respective get-ups. Some even formed queues to take a photograph with them. In the end, the one who won the segment was the lady by the name of “Wati“, who was dressed as a Pontianak. The funny part about that segment was not only were the “ghosts” cracking jokes on stage with the hosts for the segment, Aura Shai and Nity Baizura, but they were also game enough to dance along to the tunes of Inul Daratista‘s dangdut songs.
The true star of the show: DJ KC…
All in all, I had an enjoyable night. What was supposed to end at 10:30pm ended about thirty-five minutes later, but I did not feel the time passing by at all. I heard complaints afterwards that the sound system was bad. Where I was, it did not feel that way, maybe because I was seated quite close to the speakers. I was just thankful that I had premium “seats” in the house. As the co-administrator of the Misteri Jam 12 official blog, I felt heartened by the turnout of the concert. I felt extremely happy and proud for the producer of the concert himself, KC, whose hard work to make this programme and subsequently the concert a success, paid off big time. People only see the end product of his efforts but the amount of time and sacrifices he puts in daily to entertain listeners is extremely commendable, especially moreso when days leading up to the concert, he stumbled upon several personal obstacles to overcome physically and mentally. For that, respect and my humble salute is accorded to him and to me, he was the true star of the concert. No one can begrudge him of that.
Video clip courtesy of DJ KC‘s Youtube channel…
Snapshots of Konsert MJ12: Jangan Takut Hantu
Fazly Sapuan, lead singer of Klutz, performing ”Mentera Dendam Puteri“, the group’s composition that made it to the finals of Projek Rentak: MJ12.
Iskandar Rawi, the composer of “Lari“, the other finalist of Projek Rentak: MJ12…
Md Bakti Ridhwan, the son of Md Khair Md Yasin of Rausyanfikir fame, performed his composition “Madah Pohon Beringin” with his father contributing to the lyrics to the song…
Dr. Edmund Lam, President of COMPASS and Ms. Zakiah Halim, Assistant Vice-President of Malay / Indian / Expat Programming, Mediacorp Radio, were the judges for Best Performance of the night by the three finalists of Projek Rentak: MJ12…
Moliano was one of the judges for Projek Rentak MJ12…
Klutz awaiting their fate…
Projek Rentak: MJ12 2nd Runner-Up: “Madah Pohon Beringin“…
Iskandar Rawi and friends bracing themselves for the final results…
Klutz receiving the 1st Runner-Up award…
”Makcik Keropok” was in the house as well…
Fadly of X-Tech was in his element that night…
So was Brader Bo…
Shafyre performed “Jampi Serapah” and “Mimpi Duyung“…
Nity Baizura and Aura Shai took over hosting duties for the “Momok Paling Sachok” segment…
Contestants of the “Momok Paling Sachok” competition…
“Makcik Keropok” dances along to Inul Daratista‘s “Goyang Inul“...
He must have breathed through his mouth throughout the night…
The winner, Wati the “Pontianak“…
Fuzzley of B8…
Izad of B8…
KC reading a story to the audience…
Lamenting how hot the mask was…
Rifaah Ridzuwanulhakim of 2D fame, performed “Hantu Relek One Korner“…
Rico, the younger brother of Rifaah…
KC performed a medley of songs normally heard during the Misteri Jam 12 programme…
Rifaah unmasked…
Surayah of Kraton performing Misha Omar‘s “Pulangkan“…
She was complemented well by her husband, Jufri, whose showmanship is a hallmark of the group’s performances…
Kraton also performed their hit single “Fanaq” that night…
KC gave away these cushions to the audience…
The finale witnessed the performers singing the classic hit “Pontianak“, made famous by Allahyarham Dato’ Ahmad Daud…
Sinaran Hati – Ikhlas Memberi 2012 Promo…
(Graphic poster courtesy of Mediacorp Suria)
Tabung Amal Aidilfitri (TAA) Trust Fund, in collaboration with Mediacorp Suria, aims to raise half a million dollars through the annual charity concert Sinaran Hati, which will be telecast live from MediaCorp TV Theatre on Friday, 13 January 2012 at 8.30pm on Suria. This is the sixth year MediaCorp Suria and Tabung Amal Aidilfitri (TAA) Trust Fund are collaborating, with this year’s theme “Ikhlas Memberi” (Giving Sincerely) calling upon donors to come forward, and donate as much and as sincerely as possible.
The show will see the reunion of the AnugeraHitz.SG hosts Fauzie Laily and Ria 89.7FM radio deejay, Fiza O. The concert promises a diverse fusion of classic, contemporary and ethnic song numbers by the recent Anugerah winners Sarah Aqilah and Rahayu Ridwan, as well as Singapore Idol winners Taufik Batisah and Sezairi Sazali. There will be a unique feature during the two hour long concert, featuring contemporary never-been-done-before Zapin dance segment, choreographed by local celebrity, Marina Yusoff from Sri Warisan and performed by artistes such as Maiya Rahman, Elfee Ismail, Norseha Sani, Shahrin Azhar, Shahril Wahid and Endang Rahayu.
Amni Musfirah (photo courtesy of LittleCreators)
Viewers can also look out for Amni Musfirah, a young and upcoming singer who has performed in ChildAid Asia 2011, in Tokyo, Japan and the opening and closing of Asian Youth Games 2009. What’s more, there will be a heart-warming skit item featuring popular comedians Arif Samsudin, Sahfuddin Mahfudz, Husin Saaban, Alias Kadir and Singapore‘s P.Ramlee look-alike, Shafiie Hamzah. Twenty artistes will be manning the donation lines during the live telecast of the show. In addition, Malaysia‘s Anugerah Juara Lagu 2011 grand winner, Ana Raffali, known across the shores for performing with her guitar and wearing baju kurung as her trademark, will be the guest performer of the night.
Ana Raffali last performed on these shores during last year’s Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 event…
TAA Trust Fund or Hari Raya Charity Box was founded in 1992 with a mission to help the poor and less fortunate Malay/Muslim community during the holy month of Ramadhan. Since 2006, TAA has disbursed $4.3 million to 24,700 beneficiaries over the years. A total of $473,545 was raised during the telecast of Sinaran Hati last year. Gracing the event is Guest-of-Honour Major General Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts.
(Graphic poster courtesy of Mediacorp Suria)
Video Highlights of Anuar Zain’s Meet-&-Greet Fans Session…
This entry was supposed to be posted before 2011 was up, or at least the clip was supposed to be included at the end of the previous entry. But illness and other pressing matters took over, which prevented me from editing the video clips my wife had painstakingly helped to record during the aforementioned session. I’m sure for ladies out there who cannot get enough of the “King of Malay Ballads“, this video is probably heaven sent. I still have two entries up in store from recent events I attended (no, one of them does not include Countdown 2012 at The Float @ Marina Bay), but I’m going to stagger posting them up in the next few weeks. Work has started for the new year and blogging is just a passion I’m doing during my free time, so if any of you are impatiently waiting for the next entry to be up, you need to hold on to your horses. Nonetheless I present to you highlights of Anuar Zain’s Meet-&-Greet Fans Session to kickstart my 2012 entries. Enjoy!!!
Anuar Zain Meet-&-Greet Fans Session…
Nothing substantial has appeared on this blog since a month ago. I feel kinda detached somewhat from the scene and from blogging that I worried a bit for this particularly entry. Simply because, it’s been awhile and I feel oh-so-rusty. Coupled with the fact that I’m on holiday mood, you can say that I feel a bit lazy to type out my thoughts as well, but then again this entry does not need much elaboration as I feel that for the ladies out there reading this, the photographs are more important and worth the view, not to mention lulling you to a dreamy gaze and sigh. Before I move on, let me once again thank sis Diah Mastura from Studiofrost Online (they sell chic and trendy outfits for ladies, in case you don’t already know by now), for giving me this opportunity to attend this event held at Lagun Sari Restaurant on 27 December 2011.
Truth be told, if it wasn’t for the contest that sis Diah did via Twitter, I would not have gotten wind of this private meet-and-greet fans session with the “King of Malay Ballads” himself. It was only much later that details of his scheduled public appearances were highlighted in Berita Harian and contests were being held on RIA 89.7FM to promote his recently-released album, the fourth in his solo career dating back to 1998. As I had given away my Pesta Raya 2011 tickets, where Anuar teamed up with his sister Ziana in a sold-out concert at Esplanade Theatre, I thought it was an opportunity to see him up close and personal once again, since I had also missed out on the high-tea session at Hyatt Hotel‘s Grand Ballroom back in 2009. Some fan I am, even this latest album, I have not even bought it. That shows how detached I am from the scene, especially the one across the Causeway. Maybe as I age, I am slowly letting go of some things that used to interest me in the past.
What was scheduled to start at 8pm ended up beginning close to 9pm, no thanks to the man’s busy schedule on these shores. When the missus and myself reached the event venue at about 7:45pm, we were surprised to see a long queue had already formed on the staircase leading up to the Java Room of Lagun Sari Restaurant. We were made to wait for more than half an hour and it was not quite a pleasant experience, with very little ventilation. I pitied some of the ladies who were dressed to the nines, some using whatever paraphernalia on their hands to fan themselves. I personally thought it would have been nice if someone had gone down to inform us why there was a delay in waiting. At least, it would more or less appease us. Waiting for a long time and having to perspire due to the limited ventilation is not a good combination. Thankfully nobody kicked up a fuss about it.
The session was hosted by RIA 89.7FM‘s Aura Shai and one of the radio station’s new kids-on-the-block, Dzar Ismail. Some of you might remember him from the Anugerah Skrin competition held last year. Known in our local Dikir Barat scene as a member of Durbar Dua and currently teaching full-time, Dzar has joined RIA 89.7FM as one of their part-time recruits. Personally I’m very happy that he has made this step up. I remember very well that during last year’s competition, I had said back then, with his fluency speaking in our mother tongue and his confidence during conversing, he would do well to expand his horizons and repertoire and seek a career in radio. Look where he is now. A humble, charming and friendly chap, he has also done his fair share of acting stint on television. He was also part of the Mediacorp Suria team that won this year’s Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 tournament playing at rightback.
RIA 89.7FM‘s Aura Shai and Dzar Ismail hosted the session…
The hosts did well to kill time by playing a game and letting the attendees of the session fill their stomachs, while awaiting for Anuar Zain‘s arrival. The game that was played, required one of the fans to come forward and sing a song by Anuar. I thought of joining in as well, since my wedding anniversary is coming up in a few days, and it would have been nice to sing to the wife the song I sang during our wedding dinner, “Keabadian Cinta“, albeit just the chorus. But then again, the session was about the fans and for the fans. Me seated at the table along with the invited media brigade, meant going forward did not seem right and would have appeared as though the hosts and I were in cahoots, so it was best that someone else more deserving came forward and the guy who came forward did not disappoint, as he sang “Sedetik Lebih” to his partner.
The man himself soon appeared. All the waiting, the beads of perspiration trickling down our backs and the grumbling stomachs prior to sitting down at the event venue were soon forgotten by the majority of those who attended. Singing a total of six songs in an otherwise pre-planned three initially, the man himself was in his class and element, moving from table to table to croon and leave the ladies in a state of daze and stupor. It was amusing to see the dreamy looks and puppy eyes of the ladies when Anuar was at their tables, charming them with his soulful voice, looking into everyone’s eyes and holding the hands of a few lucky ones. Photographs and video recordings from their smart phones and iPads were taken. I am sure the exclusive event lived up to their expectations, as the 80-odd fans literally had Anuar to themselves.
A fan sharing a voicenote with Anuar when he went to her table…
The event went smoothly and there was no wild jostling to get his signature or photograph until sometime towards the end. My only grumble about the fans was that even though Anuar had visited every table and taken photographs with quite a number of them, towards the end when he called for those who had not taken a photograph with him to come forward, many of those who already did, joined in as well. I think a sense of consideration needed to be exercised. Yes I know what it means to be a die-hard fan of a particular artiste, I have been there and done that before, but it would be nice if they had allowed others to have that opportunity as well. It’s not that literally they can cut him up and bring a piece of him home. How many photographs do they need to take as mementos anyway??? From initially queueing up to take a photograph with him, I ended up going back to my seat and just observing the proceedings, consoling myself with the fact that I’ve taken a photograph with him before in the past.
This event, along with two other public appearances (at Singapore Expo and City Square Mall) that Anuar Zain did on 26 December 2011, was something rare and never done before by him. All the three events he appeared in were not paid events. Regular goers to his previous showcases and concerts would know that seeing him in action live meant we had to pay, and this unprecedented change was quite a welcome one for a change. Some quarters might feel that it could drop his commercial and exclusive values somewhat, but he was afterall on a promotional tour of his album. A slight change in approach did not hurt a bit and as the newspaper article revealed in Berita Harian yesterday, he actually helped to rake in $11,000 in proceeds in aid for charity at the event held at Singapore Expo. A showcase next month is currently in the works, hopefully details will be announced soon. The event the other night felt more like a teaser of what’s to come very soon…
Highlights of the Meet-&-Greet Session
Muzik Festival Melayu Promo…
Muzik FM 2012 promises one full day of entertainment galore on 18 February 2012 at Marina Barrage Green Top. With stellar foreign acts like One Nation Emcees and Sofaz, along with award-winning artistes KOTAK, Dayang Nurfaizah and Amanda Imani, the event brings together artistes from the Nusantara under one roof!!! The likes of Shahridzuan Selamat, Nana Zakaria, The Sallys, Merah and Virus Cinta are some of the artistes who will be flying the local flag. The first half of the event (1-6pm) will be helmed by local acts while some of them will join the foreign acts on stage when the second half resumes at 7:30pm. For $35, this is value-for-money with ten hours of entertainment!!! What’s more, there’s an offer of “Buy 5 tickets & Get 1 Free“!!! Let’s picnic under the sun and the moon with friends and family and be entertained by great music and songs from our local and foreign acts!!!
Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 Final Review…
“WE DID IT!!!”
These three words summed up all the emotions the Mediacorp Suria team felt when the referee blew the final whistle to signal the end of a pulsating final and subsequently this year’s edition of the Piala Dollah Kassim tournament, played at the Woodlands Stadium this past Sunday evening. This victory was made sweeter because as compared to last year’s team which had several friendly matches to play prior to last year’s tournament, the whole team (those retained from last year as well as the newbies this year) only came together a week before the tournament began, whereas some teams had already begun training before Ramadhan came along. We were short of match fitness, cohesiveness and understanding on the pitch and this was evident in our two friendly matches prior to the tournament kick-off, which we drew and lost. More evidently, when we had a three-week break between the last qualifying game and the Final last week, we could not get any friendly matches to play to sharpen up our game.
Miracle or not, perhaps it was our destiny to win this year. Whatever we lacked on the pitch, we made up for it with relentless self-belief, team spirit, a collective sense of brotherhood where there is no particular star player in the team (even though the team was sprinkling with local celebrities) and most importantly we had a mental resolve and never-say-die attitude which were hallmarks that made us this year’s champions. Five times we conceded throughout the course of this year’s tournament (three in the first game, one each in the third and Final games), but we came back to equalise and salvage our matches, and winning the Final in the process. Victory was all the more sweet because we had no S-League nor ex-international players playing for our team, because this team respects the essence and sanctity of this tournament, which is a charity event first and foremost.
Stepping foot at Woodlands Stadium brought a sense of nostalgia to myself and perhaps my family members who came to watch the match as well. This was the very venue that most of us last saw Allahyarham Uncle Dollah in action for a charity game called “Charity Football Fiesta“, between local celebrities and ex-international footballers back in February 2009. I’m sure my team-mates Taufiq Salleh and captain Syed Azmir, would remember that game as they were in the same team as Uncle Dollah. Before the match began and our team was seen huddling together for quite some time, prompting the emcees to say we were saying our prayers for good luck, they were actually half right. We did say our prayers but not for good luck. In fact, I was extremely touched by Syed Azmir‘s kind gesture to lead the team in reciting Surah Al-Fatehah for the soul of Allahyarham Uncle Dollah. It might be a small and trivial gesture to some, but as Uncle Dollah‘s nephew and observing from a neutral perspective, it left an indelible impression on me that my team captain is a man of substance and led by example.
The team appeared relaxed prior to the game but most of us were nervous…
The game itself was a like a game of chess in the first half with both sides probing and calculative with every move made. Conditions did not help by the downpour before the game, which rendered the pitch muddy on most parts. The game had to be stopped halfway in the first half as the heavy downpour and lightning prevented us from continuing, which of course delayed the match further. The tempo only picked up in the second half when PERKAMUS scored their first goal within ten minutes after the start. I was beaten by an extremely good goal by Muhammad Farouq, even though I had dived full stretch and gotten my hands to the ball. Maybe ten years ago when I was younger, slimmer and more agile, I could have prevented it from going in. We could have easily been deflated but again as this tournament had witnessed, we came back strongly to equalise through Raja Razie and scoring the winner through Syed Azmir, capitalising on individual errors made by our strong opponents who had been controlling much of the game, while we were contented to sit back and soaked as much as we could from their forays into our area, before counter-attacking them.
Personally I am thankful that we won because it now gives me the opportunity to speak my mind about the tournament from a winning position. It is something I have been keeping inside for one whole year since the last tournament and one which I said in my earlier entries that I would voice out on a later date. The time has finally come to speak my mind. If I were to begin my rant from a losing perspective, it would be easy to condemn me as being sour grapes. While I am eternally thankful to the organiser of this tournament, PERKAMUS, for organising this charity football event by honouring my late uncle, as well as their noble efforts to bring together the media and entertainment industry in Singapore for a good cause, certain things need to be re-evaluated if they were to organise this event again in the coming years ahead. Just because Mediacorp Suria has won, does not mean certain problems and unhappiness felt by the other teams can be swept under the carpet, be forgotten and repeated all over again the following year.
Number one on the agenda is the interpretation of the tournament rules. There needs to be a clear indicator and spelling out to what can be done and what cannot be done to avoid confusion and discontent amongst teams, players and managements alike. The organiser’s decision to field an S-League player who has represented Gombak United FC, seemed to be a contentious debate throughtout the course of the tournament. When queried by the other teams, the organiser said this player’s contract with his club ended on 3 October 2011, but his Facebook profile currently states that he is a part-time footballer with Gombak United FC. Whether his contract ended then or whether he is a part-time footballer, the fact remains that he is still affiliated to a professionally-run club playing in Singapore‘s premier division and no professional club is going to take a player who does not meet their basic prerequisites, qualities that set a professional player apart from those playing amateur or social football.
The team celebrating captain Syed Azmir‘s winning goal…
Between last year’s tournament and this year’s, he had played professional football for an S-League team, so that makes him a professional player, part-time or not. It certainly left a sour taste after last year’s Final which we lost, knowing we were beaten by the presence of a professional league player who had scored twice that night. From my understanding, tournament rules stated that no player is to play for any club team in Singapore. This is a CHARITY tournament afterall, a team does not need to field professional standard players nor ex-internationals in their team to add colour to the competition nor to aid their competitive cause. There are already enough local celebrities and media personalities to make up the tournament, with invited players of amateur or social footballing background adding on to the numbers. Even more surprising were the mysterious appearances of one or two other players, who from my own personal observations, suddenly appeared in the Final but not the qualifying rounds.
I want to go on record and say I am not implying nor accusing the organiser of cheating, never have and never intended to make it that way, even if I sound as though I am doing so. There will always be loopholes in the rules which any team can take advantage of, and they did so because the player’s contract with his club was apparently up. However, in the interest of competitive fairness and spirit of sportsmanship, I feel and I’m sure many others felt that it is just not right, because you tend to wonder where is the level playing field when you pit professional standard players against amateurs and social footballers like us in a charity tournament??? You can argue that it is just one player and that one player does not make a team, but if this player is your team’s star and eventual tournament’s top goalscorer, it says a hell lot about his technical abilities on the pitch. Hence why the rules need to be spelt out clearly to avoid unhappiness and misunderstandings.
Our team could have taken a leaf out of the organiser’s book and invited the likes of Baihakki Khaizan (who is currently without a club) or Aide Iskandar (ex-national team captain who has had his fair share of acting stint on television) to turn out for us, but we chose not to as we respect the tournament as it is and do not see the need to make the other teams unhappy. The other teams had protested and rightly so. Personally for myself being a part of Allahyarham Uncle Dollah‘s family, I worried for the intrinsic value of this tournament as it was used in his name. The family had kindly given their blessings for this tournament to be held, it would be nice if they were also informed of the rules governing it and not just a summary of the tournament’s progress. In future if this tournament is to be held, contentious and ambiguous issues like these need to be discussed and agreed upon by all teams, counter-checked by independent sources for transparency sake and approved jointly by the organiser and the family.
Coronation time and scenes of jubilation, as Syed Azmir lifted the trophy …
All teams should also stick to the original squad of 22 that they had registered at the start of the tournament. Any changes in terms of personnel, need to be informed to all teams so that they understand why certain players suddenly appear towards the end of the tournament, when at the start they were not seen. I can understand that perhaps some players are only available on certain dates, but basic courtesy on informing still needs to be observed as a mark of respect to all teams, even if this is a charity tournament. You cannot have players appearing for one or two games disappear and have other stop-gap replacements without informing the other teams, especially if the replacements are players considered more talented and skillful. This creates resentment as to why most teams adhere to the rules while some are able to capitalise on loopholes. We would have gladly lost the tournament with pride if teams did not field players of high calibre and stature, because we know deep in our hearts, we’ve done our bit for charity and knowing we lost to players of the same amateur standard as us. Anyway our community is small, one way or another we know each other and the other person’s footballing background. Hence the need for transparency.
Another peeve that I need to bring up were the emcees of the event. We know that one of them is part of the organising team, but that should not make some of their presentation extremely bias towards their own team. A standard complaint I heard from people who were at the stadium, was that they were simply annoying and I could not agree more. The players were distracted somewhat by the irrelevant commentary by the sidelines, notably in the first half. In future, it would be best to engage emcees who know what the game is all about, who know how to differentiate between a free-kick and a penalty kick, who do not incite the opposing team by saying their players were feigning injury and acting when it was all clear to see that the injured player had his legs taken away and the offending player yellow-carded in the process. Oh not to mention, speaking in good English as well, sans grammatical errors. As an emcee, one needs to be professional, non-partisan, have some knowledge on what they are presenting and of course fluent in the language that they are speaking in.
What irked me the most was when the emcees were interviewing the Youth Olympic Team‘s football players and voicing their disapproval towards the Sports Foreign Talent Scheme. We all have our own sets of agreements or disagreements on the matter and the topic is extremely subjective in my opinion, but when you choose to disagree vehemently, do not speak in your mother tongue when before that, you had been speaking in English throughout. It is not fair to the non-Malay speaking spectators as they do not understand what was being said and it felt as though it was being made a personal conversation to spite them. Certain ethics need to be observed when presenting, you cannot just speak your mind just because the microphone is in your hands. I was just glad when informed after the game, that my young daughter had the presence of mind to march up to one of them and told them to hush and respect the time as it was Maghrib. At least the second half was a bit quieter and the players on both sides lifted their game as they could concentrate better.
The team celebrating victoriously with the trophy in hand…
Other than the three grievances I aired, I still believe and share the sentiment that PERKAMUS did a stellar job in organising this tournament once again, with the public more aware of its existence and with the increase in the number of kind sponsors supporting the event. This is also evident in the number of personalities who have come forward to be a part of this tournament. To get Woodlands Stadium to fill two-thirds of its grandstand capacity on a day it rained, was an achievement of sorts and one they could be proud of. Hopefully their noble efforts in getting proceeds for Jamiyah’s Darul Ma’wa Children’s Home will be rewarded in kind by Allah Almighty, as well as those who had come forward to support the event in cash and kind. For the record, Berita Harian beat Dramatis 9-1 in the third and fourth-placed match played in good-hearted fashion and humour enjoyed by everyone watching.
Personally it was a satisfying experience for me having gone through the heartache and disappointment of losing last year’s Final, having clawed our way back to 2-2 after being 0-2 down at the break, and losing with four minutes to spare. For amateurs like us who can only dream of playing in front of a packed audience, this was the closest we could get to experiencing playing in such a setting. Having players you respected when you were young and watched them play in the Malaysia Cup, watching you in the stands like Hasnim Haron and Syed Faruk Alkaff amongst others, was simply inspirational and lifted my confidence somewhat. I was just fortunate that aside from the goal I conceded, everything went my way because I am often prone to the odd gaffe on the pitch. It helped that the whole team worked hard for each other and continued encouraging and cajoling one another when our opponents led the game.
To the whole Mediacorp Suria team – Syed Azmir (captain), Mohd Fazlan, Miur Rafik, Ikhsan, Mohd Idris, Kassim Jamid, Abdul Mutalib, Raja Razie, Idros Jamid, Rafaat Hamzah, Khairul Ruzaini, Razif Ariff, Shahril Kahar, Shahril Wahid, Fadhlur Rahman, Muhd Dzar, Taufiq Salleh, Effandy Idris, Firdaus Salleh, Aidil Jufri and Fauzie Laily – It was an extreme honour to be on the pitch with you guys as we finally brought the trophy home for the very first time. We might have only played together for six games in total (including our two friendly games), but the spirit and camaraderie we forged was something I would remember and treasure for a long time to come. To manager Ishak Jamid, thank you for inviting me to keep goal for the team and representing my family in the process. To the supporters, especially our family members, who had shouted themselves hoarse last Sunday, this win is dedicated to each and everyone of you. Enjoy the video highlights of the Final match!!!
P.S. All photographs are courtesy of Mediacorp Suria…
Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 Final Preview…
(Graphics poster courtesy of Mediacorp Suria)
I know this blog has not been updated for about a month now and I make no apologies as I have not been attending any entertainment-related events of late. After three gruelling round of qualifying matches in this year’s Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 tournament, we have finally come to tomorrow’s penultimate game, a repeat of last year’s Final. Last year, Mediacorp Suria narrowly lost the game 2-3, conceding the third goal with four minutes to spare, after brilliantly coming back to equalise, having gone into the half-time break 0-2 down. You can be sure that Mediacorp Suria will put up a gallant fight tomorrow to dethrone the defending champions.
We have a better team as compared to last year, with all due respect to the rest who played, and it is up to us now to prove that we can do one better than them. Let’s hope that tomorrow’s game will be a clean fight, with no petty fights and no overzealous tackles being dished out. Our first qualifying game with them last month and the Final last year were matches that gave the spectators feasts of goals, and tomorrow’s game promises to continue that trend. So if you have nothing on, please do come down to Woodlands Stadium and witness the champion of Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 being crowned. In the meantime, enjoy the overdue highlights of the last qualifying match between Mediacorp Suria & Berita Harian on 23 October 2011…
Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 Qualifying Match – Mediacorp Suria vs Dramatis…
The second round of qualifying matches in this year’s Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 tournament was played last Sunday at the Singapore Polytechnic Sports Complex. The first match between defending champions PERKAMUS and Berita Harian ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Berita Harian, the champions in the first two editions of the tournament but a disappointment in the last one, have shown they are the dark horses that could upset the favourites tag currently being held by PERKAMUS and Mediacorp Suria. Definitely this coming Sunday‘s tie between them and Mediacorp Suria will decide who would enter the Grand Final on 20 November 2011, as PERKAMUS is expected to win by a cricket score against the Dramatis team, with all due respect to this humble outfit. As the table stands at the moment, Mediacorp Suria is sharing top spot with Berita Harian on 4 points each but with a better goal difference.
The second match played between Mediacorp Suria and Dramatis last Sunday ended with a score of 7-1, in favour of the former. Berita Harian had misreported the final score as 6-1 in their publication yesterday, but it could have been a slight error on their part. Syed Azmir, captain of Mediacorp Suria and last year’s Golden Boot winner, finally got his tournament going with a hat-trick scored in the space of 15 minutes in the first half. Two goals apiece by Raja Razie and Firdaus Salleh have now elevated them to three goals in the tournament, sharing the same number of goals scored as Syed Azmir and Shahrin Azhar from the Dramatis team, when he notched a hat-trick in the 3-8 defeat to Berita Harian the previous week.
Speaking of Shahrin Azhar, I hope he does not take my video highlights the wrong way. The segment where he stormed off the pitch, seemingly unhappy with the referee’s decisions and then retaliating against a rowdy spectator, could in one way, show the negative side of him. But artistes are normal human beings too. You see amateur and professional players retaliating against each other, against the referee for what they deem as biased decisions. Even professional players retaliate against the crowd when their heckling gets a bit too much. No, I do not condone Shahrin‘s retaliation towards that spectator, but I hope those who watched would understand why as a normal human being, he did what he did and would more or less sympathise. This is a charity tournament afterall, that kind of heckling by the watching spectator had no place in the stands, depicting how uncivilised some people can be, and only served to add fuel to the fire already raging inside. Thankfully common sense prevailed and nothing serious happened afterwards. My respect for Shahrin has not diminished because of this episode.
This Sunday‘s last round of qualifying matches will be an exciting affair between Berita Harian and Mediacorp Suria. That match will kick off at 3pm whilst the Dramatis and PERKAMUS teams will face off at 5pm. Goals galore is expected so head down to Singapore Polytechnic Sports Complex if you have nothing on that day. In the meantime, enjoy the video highlights…
P.S. Graphics and photographs are courtesy of Mediacorp Suria…
Piala Dollah Kassim 2011 Qualifying Match – Mediacorp Suria vs PERKAMUS…
The tournament has finally kicked off in earnest this past Sunday afternoon at the Singapore Polytechnic Sports Complex with the first round of matches played. The first match between Berita Harian and Dramatis was a high-scoring affair with the former coming away 8-3 winners. Though I did not watch the whole match, from what I heard, Berita Harian raced to a 6-1 lead at half-time and eased off during the second half. All three goals scored by the Dramatis team were courtesy of actor-host Shahrin Azhar, a feat not lost on Mediacorp Suria, and a player who will be given extra attention when facing the Dramatis team this coming Sunday.
The Mediacorp Suria team…
The second match, which I was involved in, was another high-scoring affair with Mediacorp Suria and defending champions, PERKAMUS, sharing the spoils with the scoreline of 3-3. The match was end-to-end stuff with both sides not relenting. Thrice Mediacorp Suria conceded, only to pick ourselves up and grabbed equalisers for every goal PERKAMUS scored, with Raja Razie‘s free-kick goal, the pick of the six goals scored during the match. The match had its robust moments given the nature of the competitiveness between both sides. The flashpoint of the robustness being the two-footed challenge dished out in the second half by PERKAMUS‘ captain, Jeff Catz, who was promptly given his marching orders, but generally the game was played in good spirits, with no heated moments of note.
The PERKAMUS team…
Even when I was crudely tackled by one of their strikers towards the end of the match, I felt that it was inevitable as it was a 50-50 challenge, though it has to be said the referee should have given me more protection being the goalkeeper and advantage was supposed to be on my side. The only downside is that the injury sustained to my thigh has put me in doubt to play this coming Sunday. I have been doing thirty laps in the pool religiously for the past three nights to aid my therapy, so God willing I would be fine by then. There is still some pain when I press against my thigh and the bruise marks are still there, so it’s touch and go at the moment.
Even though I said the match was played in good spirits, the ugly aspect of the tournament which I had been unhappy about since last year, reared its ugly head again. Due to confidentiality issues, I will not state what it is till a later date. I am just surprised that the defending champions this year are much different in terms of personnel, as compared to the last where they had more singers and musicians in their line-up. This year, I only recognise Jeff Catz, Iskandar R. Ismail (Eiss) and Aan from Knightwings (Anugerah Band 2008). There might be others in the team whom I do not recognise, thanks in part to my probable ignorance to the local band scene, but those three I mentioned were the standouts, other than ex-international Nasiruddin Sawardi and their team manager Art Fazil.
This Sunday, the first match at 3pm will pit Berita Harian against PERKAMUS and the latter match at 5pm between Mediacorp Suria and Dramatis. Again, all matches will be played at the Singapore Polytechnic Sports Complex. All graphics and photographs included in this entry are courtesy of Mediacorp Suria. Enjoy the highlights video of the match between Mediacorp Suria and PERKAMUS which my wife had kindly taken that day…
Shahridzuan Selamat Embarks on Solo Career…
(Photo courtesy of Sofia Dendroff – loveinyourarms.blogspot.com)
I received a minor shock when I opened up my email just awhile ago and received a press release from the management of Shahridzuan Selamat, one third of local trio Revalina. With effect from yesterday, 6 October 2011, he has decided to amicably part ways with the group after three years of performing together. Shah will make his foray to join the ranks of other solo artistes in the regional music scene by embarking on his solo career; kickstarting the momentum with the release of “Hingga Lain Waktu”, his first solo single in two years.
The aforementioned single, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011, has already garnered pre-launch awareness as the theme song for the drama series “3 Dara Metropolitan” on Mediacorp Suria. A music video of the latest single, that was shot in various locations in Singapore and United Arab Emirates, has been launched simultaneously. A bilingual Pop/Dance track “Be My Girl Tonight”, will follow soon after, featuring renowned local rapper Mark Bonafide, marking the latter’s debut in the Malay music scene. Both singles will be featured on his upcoming full length Pop/R&B album, slated for release in mid-2012.
Shahridzuan or Shah as he is affectionately known as, is an award-winning, independent Singer/Composer with an area of expertise that encompasses the svelte and smooth genre of Soul & R&B, to the hard-hitting world of Pop and Electro. He made his debut in the local music scene with 2009’s “Setia Menanti”, which racked up the 1st Runner-Up spot at that year’s ”Projek Rentak” organised by Mediacorp Radio‘s Warna 94.2FM and RIA 89.7FM. “Setia Menanti” also garnered three nominations at AnugerahHitz.SG in 2010‘ for “Record of the Year“, “Best Composer” and “Best Lyricist” categories respectively.
Shah (left) with his former Revalina group members Ross (centre) and Aidil during the recent Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011…
2011 witnessed him breaking out into a more credible role in the industry as a composer, with him co-writing MediaCorp Suria‘s theme song together with Mayuni Omar. The theme song saw his participation in not only concocting the words, but also contributing his vocals. He was then tasked to provide a modern take on the reality-singing competition, “Anugerah“. The show also marked his foray into scoring music for television, with music pieces crafted solely for different aspects of the highly-rated show. His momentum then followed through with the release of “Syahdu Di Ambang Syawal“, a thematic composition for a drama. Currently, Shahridzuan is actively honing his craft to contribute to the production value of our industry. The Chapman University film school undergraduate is also a director and filmmaker, with an emphasis on audio and visual synergy.
Looking at his career path and his achievements over the past two years, I felt it was a no-brainer that he has decided to go solo. Even though Revalina‘s wings might be slightly clipped as a result of his decision to go solo, the group will still remain strong and steadfast, as seen by their involvement in the music scene all these years. It would be interesting to see how Shah‘s career will pan out now that he has gone solo. From the looks of things, I’m quite positive that this soulful crooner will go far, moreso as he is very versatile and multi-talented. For one, we can expect to enjoy his music videos or those under his direction / production. I’ve said before in my entry on the launch of Hyrul Anuar‘s “Mata” Music Video, how Revalina‘s music video ”Menanti Cintamu” was a prime example of a quality one produced with perhaps limited budget and with very creative people working behind the scenes. Well, here’s another example of one produced by the man himself, his latest single, “Hingga Lain Waktu“. All the best on your solo endeavours, Shah!!!
For further information on Shahridzuan Selamat, please contact Furstinna Suhaimi at onemotionstudio@gmail.com.
Follow Shah on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shahridzuan.selamat
or Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Shahridzuan1M
Official Launch of Piala Dollah Kassim 2011…
It’s back once again!!! Piala Dollah Kassim, a charity football tournament involving the local Malay media and television personalities, which was successfully held last year, makes its return again this year. Now into its fourth edition since it was first conceived and incepted in 2002, the tournament this year has broken the norm of previous years’ editions in having it a year after the last one. Previously the tournament was held once every two years, with a gap of six years between the first and the second editions. I believe due to the success and support from last year’s tournament, especially the Grand Final where two thousand-odd people witnessed it at Yishun Stadium, it is only natural that it has been changed to an annual affair. But for how long it will remain that way, it’s up to the organisers, PERKAMUS, who have worked hard to make it happen again this year. For that, they deserve every pat on the back they get.
The coveted trophy…
This year’s event is probably an emotional one for myself and of course the family of Allahyarham Uncle Dollah. Regular readers of this blog would know by now the family ties that we share as his wife and my mother are sisters. This will be the first time the event is held without him around anymore. Even when he was in a state of coma and bedridden last year, I felt his presence and spirit cheering me on from the stands when I played for the Mediacorp Suria team as its goalkeeper. There were good and bad memories from last year’s tournament, the good of course being able to play in front of a near capacity crowd and the bad, well I’ll just leave it as that, but I tend to take positives out of the few bad ones. This year, I will reprise my role as the team’s custodian once again. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mediacorp Suria for placing their faith in me and it is an absolute honour to represent my family and play in the tournament again.
The launch was hosted by Rosley Jimaen and Deanna Manto…
Once again the tournament will be a four-cornered fight between Berita Harian, Dramatis, Mediacorp Suria and the organisers as well as the defending champions themselves, PERKAMUS. The draw to determine the respective match fixtures was recently held at the rooftop of the Singapore Press Holdings‘ building on 25th September 2011. Representatives and several players from the respective teams graced the occasion, not forgetting the various kind sponsors of the event. This year, the beneficiary organisation who will receive the proceeds from the event will be Darul Ma’wa Children’s Home. Several side-events and carnival have been lined up during the days of the qualifying matches and these are kindly organised by the good people of Bikers’ Aid International, a professional fundraiser and charity organising management consisting of 40 motor clubs with mixed races and genders from 3000 motorcycles members here in Singapore and Malaysia.
Cikgu Yusnor Ef with the opening speech…
Though I will not delve much on what happened during the launch per se, it was heartening to hear the President of PERKAMUS, Cikgu Yusnor Ef, appealing to other organisers of football-related events not to misuse the good name of Uncle Dollah and also to seek his family’s approval before using his name for their respective events. I’m sure older readers of this blog would remember how I went on a ranting spree last year, when some irresponsible people came up with the idea of having a football academy using Uncle Dollah‘s name without seeking his family’s approval. And it was just last week that our family found out that a football competition organised in Tampines also used his name without seeking prior approval. We’re not trying to be high-handed, but I’m sure nobody likes others to use one’s own family members’ names without first seeking permission. Like what Cikgu Yusnor said, “Do not misuse his name to the point that it becomes devalued and cheap…” As a family, we do not want Uncle Dollah‘s name to be used by any organisation for their own benefits. Uncle Dollah was a generous man, any event organiser that uses his name in future should take note that any proceeds from their event, must go to a charity organisation. Over the years, the family has been working closely and have absolute trust in PERKAMUS, because they have been doing the right thing.
Uncle Dollah‘s son, Ezaad, urged all players to check their fitness and health before taking onto the pitch so as to prevent a similar occurence of what happened to Uncle Dollah back on 4th Oct 2009.
I do not know who will be playing in the other teams, other than Nick Mikhail, Izzat Yusoff, Amy Kecik, Khairudin Samsudin, Faizal Ramli amongst others, playing for the Dramatis team and Jeff Catz for PERKAMUS. But I’m quite confident that our Mediacorp Suria team, with the injection of new players from the Anugerah Skrin 2010 competition, and retaining half of those who represented the team last year, will try and give the defending champions a run for their money. This year Mediacorp Suria will be represented by renowned television personalities Rafaat Hamzah, Fauzie Laily, Syed Azmir (captain), Shahril Wahid, Effandy Idris and the Anugerah Skrin 2010 alumnus like Shahril Kahar, Aidil Jufri, Mohd Idris Jamin, Raja Razie and Muhd Dzar. We also welcome into our team the likes of actors-hosts Fadhlur Rahman and Taufiq Salleh, who represented the Dramatis team in last year’s tournament, as well as Khairul Ruzaini (the son of actor Jasmani Basri), and Razif Ariff, who are both part-time actors themselves. In short, this tournament is sprinkling with stars all in the name of charity.
The fixture list…
All qualifying matches will be played at the Singapore Polytechnic stadium on three consecutive Sundays, beginning 9th October 2011. The first match will kick off at 3pm with Berita Harian facing off with the Dramatis team. Mediacorp Suria will play against PERKAMUS at 5pm. The 3rd and 4th placing match as well as the Grand Finals will be held on 20th November 2011 at the Woodlands Stadium. Admission to all the matches is free. So if you do not have anything to do for the next three Sundays, do come down and support your local personalities and also help to do your part for charity. See you there!!!
May the best team wins!!!
From left: Jeff Catz (PERKAMUS), Syed Azmir (Mediacorp Suria), Art Fazil (PERKAMUS), Jasmi Ahmad (Dramatis) and Farid Hamzah (Berita Harian)…
How to get there… (Click on the map to enlarge it)
Launch of Hyrul Anuar’s “Mata” Music Video…
Music videos (MVs) are part and parcel of the entertainment industry. Normally the ones in the West and those with very established music industries would come out with quality MVs, with amazing props, technicolour and CGI effects thrown into the mix. Closer to home, not many are able to say the quality of MVs are closer to or on par with the others outside our South-East Asia region. There is a saying that with big money comes better quality MVs and the fact remains, we do not have this luxury in our small industry. But I personally feel that in recent times, with Revalina‘s “Menanti Cintamu” and Awi Rafael‘s “Pulanglah” being prime examples, we are able to see that quality MVs can be produced with perhaps limited budget and very creative people working behind the scenes to make it happen. In summary, it can be done.
Hence I had the same hope that Hyrul Anuar‘s music video for his single ”Mata“, taken off his album “Sesebuah Perubahan“, would be of a respectable standard when I first received the invitation to attend its launch. Truth be told, I have never heard of a music video launch before this, especially in our local context. Correct me for my probable ignorance, but this was perhaps the first in our local Malay music industry to have such an event. Positive memories of Hyrul‘s album launch last year are still fresh in my head till this day, from how it was planned and executed, to the number of local personalities who turned up to support the event. Even though the venue of the MV launch (The Arts House @ Old Parliament Building) is considered much smaller than the ballroom at Hotel Re!, I was still looking forward to a memorable event.
The day of the event (23rd September 2011) was a special day and landmark for Hyrul Anuar. Not only was it the day he launched his MV, he also celebrated his 26th birthday on the same day. I had initial fears when I realised the event was held during the Formula One Race competition right smack next to the racing track. Walking along the road leading towards The Arts House only heightened my fears as the sounds from the race cars were terribly deafening and I was afraid that they would spoil Hyrul‘s event. But thankfully, the building is soundproof and those who attended enjoyed an F1-free event in the Screening Room of The Arts House. It also helped that Hyrul‘s event was during the break between the first and second practice sessions for the F1 drivers.
The MV launch was hosted by Imran Ajmain, the man who helped produced Hyrul‘s album. I will not delve much on what happened during the MV launch as you are able to watch it in the video that I have uploaded. But just to give you a quick information on the MV. It was shot in NTU and Tuas in the space of five days by a group of students from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Arts, Design and Media who call themselves “ShadowPlay Studio“, under the astute direction of Ridwan Madon. The K-Pop inspired MV has an angsty theme to it and with choreography by Fantastic Crew, make-up by Daen A. Ali and costumes sponsored by ATZU and Dress Sense, the blend and mix was simply perfect. Even though I will not upload the actual video in this entry due to respecting its exclusivity, you can view it when it’s up on Singtel‘s website in the coming future as Hyrul is a Mio Singtel ambassador. Hyrul had also stated that the MV will not be uploaded on YouTube.
On a day Hyrul Anuar celebrated the launch of his music video and creating a milestone of sorts on his birthday, it was also launched and aired on Suria, Sensasi and Astro Ria that night. Personally I feel that the music video has raised the standards of local MVs. At first glance, it reminded me of some of KRU‘s music videos and the group were known for being technologically advanced in creating their own MVs even way back in the late 90s. Let’s hope that more local acts will be inspired to produce their own quality videos and lift the standards of our local industry to a new level. If Hyrul Anuar can do it through his own perseverance and hard work, I think anything is possible if we were to put our hearts, minds and soul into it. Congratulations to Hyrul Anuar on the launch of his “Mata” music video!!!
Snapshots of Hyrul Anuar’s “Mata” Music Video Launch
Guests were encouraged to hold these props up and take a photograph…
Host of the event, Imran Ajmain…
The man himself, Hyrul Anuar…
Hyrul with local actress Shasha Ya’kob…
RIA 89.7FM‘s Aura Shai was in attendance…
So too was television personality, Rilla Melati Bahri…
The beautiful model in the music video, Noor Artika…
Introducing Hyrul Anuar‘s proud parents…
Some of the guests in attendance…
Local singers Roze Kasmani and Hydir Idris were also in attendance, as well as talented lyricist Fadly Ahmad (right)…
Surprise birthday celebration for the birthday boy…
Simfoni Lebaran Revisited…
I know this blog has been dead for the past month or so. It was meant to be deliberate that way since I did not attend any entertainment-related events of late. We are already into the last few days of Syawal. Goodness how time flies. Hope that your respective celebrations with family, friends and loved ones have been joyous and happy occasions so far. Before I move on and I hope it’s not too late to take this opportunity to wish all my Muslim readers Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. I am also taking the opportunity to apologise from the bottom of my heart if my reviews or entries have been misunderstood or if I had angered and disappoint anyone through the words, tones and vocabulary used to express my thoughts. I’m not perfect, but I am also not holier-than-thou, so if I had come across as such, then I am truly sorry for potraying it.
Since this entry is a warm-up before I start being active all over again, it’s just going to be a short one with a compilation video of Simfoni Lebaran snapshots I took some two months ago. Yes, you guys might have watched the show on the eve of Hari Raya but the actual recording of the event was done on 8th July 2011, a week before the Anugerah Planet Muzik event. For those expecting me to post a review of the recent Wings concert, no I did not attend it. I would have gone if Search was part of a Double Trouble concert but not Wings alone. I’m also not going to review the upcoming Zain siblings’ (Ziana & Anuar) Pesta Raya concert, even though I am attending the event solely for Anuar Zain, so hopefully no one’s expecting me to post photographs, video clips or reviews concerning the show. Last but not least, enjoy the video…
Imran Ajmain 100 Hari Acoustic Tour Reminisced…
(Graphics poster courtesy of imranajmain.com)
I did say in one of my previous entries that this blog will be on hiatus during the blessed month of Ramadhan. As in years past, it has been that way, as I normally do not attend any functions or events related to the entertainment scene during this month. But I know I owe the readers of my blog this particular entry, which is why I decided to dust the three-week old cobwebs away and return for a short update. We are already halfway into the fasting month and we’re left with another two weeks. I hope that each and everyone of you are doing well, in the pink of health and grabbing every possible opportunity that Almighty Allah have bestowed upon us this month. Such is the beauty of Ramadhan, that I wish it could be a daily occurrence.
Anyway back to the event that I attended a few days after Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 was held here in Singapore. Imran Ajmain‘s “100 Hari Acoustic Tour“, was a celebration to commemorate him quitting smoking for good. It all began with him doing the countdown to 100 days on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook back in February 2011, without telling anyone what he was counting down for. By the end of it, he achieved his mission and the acoustic tour was one that he wanted to share with his ardent followers. The last I attended Imran‘s showcase was back on 26 February 2008 at the Arts House @ Old Parliament Building. I did attend the launch of his second album “Punca Dan Tindakan” a year and a half after that at Rendezvous Hotel, but it did not quite count as a showcase, even though he sang a majority of the songs found in the album that night.
This showcase featured the likes of Dr. Fazley Yaakob, eternally remembered for the hit “Asmara Ini” and Hydir Idris, a semi-finalist of Anugerah 2009, who in my opinion was one of the favourites to win in that year’s competition. I dunno if it was secretly planned or was it impromptu, but our talented local act, Roze Kasmani, who was in the audience was also roped in to sing with Dr. Fazley and Imran himself. This was a feel good (and not to mention, sold-out) event shared by everyone who came. This was evident from the smiling faces that left the venue, Badoque Cafe, feeling extremely satisfied. With good company, excellent service, great entertainment and of course the tantalising menu, what more could we have asked for??? It was a night to be remembered and even if Dr. Fazley did not sing some of my personal favourites like “Cerita Asmara“, “Hujan” and “Sesaat Kau Tiada“, I have no complaints and went home a happy man…
Snapshots of Imran Ajmain’s 100 Hari Acoustic Tour in Singapore
Imran welcoming us to the showcase…
Hydir Idris opened the show with three songs…
He surprised yours truly for having the gift to play the guitar…
Most importantly, Hydir is more composed and at ease performing as compared to two years ago…
I last watched Dr. Fazley performing live at Anugerah Planet Muzik 2002…
He has lost none of his charisma and stage presence… The trademark moustache is gone though… Hahahah…
An Imran Ajmain showcase is never complete without his interesting anecdotes…
I guess that’s what the fans missed, besides his presence on stage to entertain us with his soulful voice…
The night’s performers with their accompanying sessionists, Ucop (left) and Syazwan (right)…
APM2011 After-Thoughts & Post-Event Reception Photographs…
This entry will be the last on Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 and I have to admit, it is getting a bit stale already, as a fortnight has passed since it was held at Max Pavilion Singapore Expo on 15 July 2011. I did say in my review that I would be putting up photographs of the post-event reception as well on a later entry, so this is basically it. I’ve even managed to interview several personalities during the reception to get their thoughts on the show, to share with us what are their upcoming plans, and for the award winners to say a word of gratitude to family, friends and supporters which they might not have been able to do so when they received their awards on stage. Indeed this was something new I have value-added on to this blog as I have never / seldom done any interviews other than the usual promos / greetings. Guess there is always a first to everything huh???
Post-Event Photographs
Actually this shot of Sarah Aqilah and Rahayu Ridwan was taken during one of the commercial breaks…
Elly, Renni & Reela of local girl-group Dynda. Vega had to leave the show early to attend to a private matter. They were nominated in the Artis Singapura Paling Popular award category…
Always a pleasure to meet Linda Onn (seen here with the wife), one of my favourite DJs from across the Causeway…
Tujuh, with Nazri of Aryan Band (right). The group was also nominated in the Artis Singapura Paling Popular award category…
The present and the future of our local Malay entertainment scene – Alyph (SleeQ), Azzah Fariha, Malaque Mahdaly & Syarif (SleeQ)…
Some of the Top 18 contestants of Anugerah 2011 not wanting to miss out on the glamourous night. From right: Syazani Rahim, Faziz Taufiq, Azhar Raz, Erlina and Shikin Imran. They are joined by Mediacorp Suria‘s Budi Iskandar Sa’ad (left), Elly of Dynda (second from left) and Netty Fiona Othman of Eaglevision (third from left)…
Lagu Terbaik Singapura nominee Faizal Isa (right), with Janz Abdullah, the composer of his hit debut single “Maafkanku (Oh Cinta)“…
Aliff Aziz looking smart in his outfit. I think what was missing was a tall hat and a walking stick. He would have looked like an Englishman from the Victorian age…
Fauzie Laily, Hazlina Halim & Khairudin Saharom – Multi-talented individuals in our local entertainment scene…
Talented director Adi Yadoni with wife, local actress Wahyu Rahman. She is also the manager of up-and-coming local talent Awi Rafael, former frontman of Bhumiband…
My favourite couple, Huda Ali and Den Sabari. They celebrated their first wedding anniversary that night…
Attending an awards show is never complete without taking a photograph with Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza…
The living, breathing Barbie-doll - Amanda Imani…
The two Idris-es (Ize and A’Trez) who make up X-Clusive…
Smokin’ hot Farah Asyakin…
Nity Baizura and Fiza O looking all glammed-up…
Hyrul Anuar (left) never fails to don something stylish to a prestigious event. He is seen here with renowned choreographer Eddy…
Hady Mirza sharing his thoughts with yours truly…
Hyrul is flanked by Faizal Isa (left) and Farhan Shah. It took a lot of courage for the latter to attend the event as he was on crutches after recently undergoing an operation on his injured knee due to a freak accident. Speedy recovery bro!!!
Another one of my personal best shots of the night, this time with SleeQ and Amanda Imani, as my subjects of focus…
No matter what the online critics might say about the show, I believe Aura Shai as the producer of APM2011, has done a stellar job…
After-Thoughts By Guest Performers, Award Winners, Host & Invitees
Thank you to everyone featured on this clip…
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Side-Issue
Source: Gua.com.my
P.S. – I actually want to comment more on this article I have included above and I have to admit I felt so tempted to rebutt in full glory, but I guess I will not run the risk of a lawsuit, even if I were to tell the probable truth. It is afterall between him and the organisers. I already said in my review that the reason his performance began late was because his keyboardist’s PC had to hang at the wrong moment. It was something neither him nor the organisers could have envisaged nor do anything about. Anyone seated near the centre that night like myself would have noticed how his keyboardist was frantically trying to get things going and as a viewer, I sympathised with her and hoped that viewers at home would be able to share my feelings as well. Nobody would want such a thing to happen on a live show. It was just bad luck that it had to happen that night.
As a professional artiste, I believe one should know what award category one is being nominated for, or what is going on during the show. Even if a person is stationed backstage, I believe it is the norm to have monitors at the back to prompt performers and stagehands on the proceedings or at the very least, the sounds are loud enough to inform what is going on onstage. To have an idea of the sequence of events during a particular show, that is one of the reasons why rehearsals are done. In his case, he was only nominated for two awards and the Most Popular one is always given away towards the end. Was it too difficult to remember??? I might be wrong again but based on my observations, I did not see him seated amongst the nominees throughout the whole show nor did he walk the Red Carpet. Even celebrated performers as big as Dato’ M. Nasir and Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza were seen seated amongst the audience. I do hope success has not gone to his head cos as a performer, I still love him to bits and not many have stage presence and charisma like he does. Attitude, a positive one, also plays a part in the likeability stakes…
Performances @ APM 2011
Apologies for the delay in posting this entry. I have been quite busy of late so this entry might be a bit stale to some or most of you. For those of you who are linked to me in Facebook, you might have seen my collection of photos of Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 which I had uploaded this past Sunday. For the benefit of those not linked to me, this entry will be based on the various performances on the night. Hope you like the photographs I had snapped for your viewing pleasure…
Orkestar Trio
Bloco Singapura
Opening Act – “Senyum”
Sezairi Sezali
Hady Mirza
Taufik Batisah
Sarah Aqilah
Alyph SleeQ
Syarif SleeQ
Rahayu Ridwan
Didie Alias
Amanda Imani – “Selamilah Cinta”
Sezairi Sezali – “Matahari”
Sandhy Sondoro – “Malam Biru”
Ana Raffali – “Tolong Ingatkan Aku”
Sleeq – “Untuk Dia”
Atilia & monoloQue – “Kekanda Adinda”
SleeQ, Ana Raffali, Atilia & monoloQue – “Kalau Berpacaran”
Shylla Amzah & Ajai – “Lagu Teman”
Sarah Aqilah – “Seikhlas Cintamu”
Hafiz AF7 – “Awan Nano”
3 Suara – “Di Mana Di Mana”
Ning Baizura
Jaclyn Victor
Shylla Amzah
Aryan Band – “Azura 2011″
Afgan Syah Reza – “Terima Kasih Cinta”
Afgan Syah Reza – “Dia Dia Dia”
Dato’ M. Nasir & Taufik Batisah – “Hey” & ”Bukalah Hatimu”
Hady Mirza – “Angkasa”
Hady Mirza & Rossa – “Ku Menunggu”
Rossa – “Ayat-Ayat Cinta”
Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza & Jaclyn Victor – “Menghitung Hari”
Melly Goeslaw
Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, Melly Goeslaw & Jaclyn Victor – “Jika”
Faizal Tahir – “Hanyut”
Faizal Tahir – “Selamat Malam”
Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza – “I’m Falling In Love”
Award Presenters @ Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011
Ning Baizura & Afgan Syah Reza
RZ, Sarah Aqilah & Dyn Norahim
Syazwan Zakariah & Scha Alyahya
Dato’ AC Mizal & Huda Ali
Winnie K & AB Shaik Ahmad Banafe’
Puan Zakiah Halim
Linda Onn & Halim Othman
Nity Baizura & Ady Putra
Hafeez Glamour & Nora Danish
Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 Review…
Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 returned to these shores last Friday night after a four-year absence, venturing in Kuala Lumpur in 2008 and Jakarta in 2009, before taking a break last year due to the economic slowdown. 2010 also saw the birth of our very own AnugeraHitz.SG, so it was understandably taxing for Mediacorp Radio‘s Warna 94.2FM & RIA 89.7FM to organise Anugerah Planet Muzik, moreso in Singapore where we do not have the privilege of having mega sponsorships from big companies as what is being enjoyed by our regional counterparts. As such, we have to lower our expectations on seeing more of such big events being organised here. Unless of course if our mainstream media organisations can pool their resources together and give what the consumers would want to see. Anyway, the event celebrated its tenth year in existence, a long way since its inception in 2001 held at the now-defunct Harbour Pavilion. I still remember that 20 January 2001 event like it was yesterday.
Judging from last Friday‘s attendance at the Max Pavilion Singapore Expo where the event was held, I think a working collaboration of such magnitude is still far away from getting materialised. Just imagine, we had one of the best line-ups in Anugerah Planet Muzik history, yet the venue was only about half full. Who should we blame this for??? The economy??? The organisers??? The consumers??? The event venue??? The promotions team??? I’ve said it before and I say it again, we here in Singapore are suckers for free shows, no thanks to the monthly exhibitions at Singapore Expo where we can watch guest artistes performing without paying a single cent. The timing of the event could also have played a small part in not enticing people from attending it. It was only a month ago that we had Maher Zain performing here to a sell-out audience, and tickets to his concert did not come cheap, especially for those who came in big groups or as a family.
I find it extremely odd that even with the likes of Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, Afgan, Rossa, M. Nasir, Hady Mirza and Taufik Batisah just to name a few in the stellar line-up, it was difficult to attract bums to seats. Not only that, it is a mystery to me that the event felt more like a Singapore-Malaysia affair with mostly Singaporean and Malaysian artistes in attendance. The Indonesians had their host in Daniel Mananta and performers in Afgan Syah Reza, Rossa, Melly Goeslaw and Sandhy Sondoro, but other than them, only Judika was seen sitting behind Aliff Aziz amongst the audience. No one can deny that the Indonesians produce good music and good talents, but I hope it doesn’t breed a sense of pompous attitude that they do not support an event such as this. At least accept the invitation of the organisers to come and make the effort to meet their fans over here. We already have a sizeable number of Indonesians working or attending school here and it would be nice to meet their fellow countrymen.
Taufik Batisah, Hady Mirza, Sezairi Sezali, SleeQ, Sarah Aqilah and Rahayu Ridwan opened the show with “Senyum“… Not forgetting Orkestar Trio and Bloco Singapura before that…
Speaking of the venue, I had major reservations when I first heard that it was gonna be held there back in April. Unsavoury memories of APM2006 were still fresh in my mind and to tell you the truth, I had not stepped foot at that event venue since then till last Thursday afternoon, when I dropped by to watch Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza and Jaclyn Victor rehearsing for their tribute segment with Melly Goeslaw. I did not attend any concerts or shows held there for the past five years, for the sole reasons that I was sceptical of the poor sound system which I experienced back in 2006. There were also other factors that made APM2006 the least enjoyable or to put it harshly, “the worst”, in my opinion. I would not want to bring it up here as I had already done so back then, also in this domain. But I’m sure the organisers have taken into account the shortcomings and strived to make it a better experience for those who had paid to come and watch the event as the years go by.
As a whole, I personally feel that this year’s Anugerah Planet Muzik event is probably almost on par with the ones held back in 2002 and 2004, the years I felt were the better-produced ones in its history. Coincidentally both editions were also held at Singapore Expo, though at Halls 6 and 3 respectively. Ok some of you might say that I’m saying this just because I have finally gotten what I wanted, which is getting official media accreditation, something which I had fought hard to attain all these years and that I had to say nice things so as to get future invitations to such events. I’m sorry to disappoint my haters and dissenters, but what I observed live was very much different than couch potatoes at home. And I have a strong feeling that those who bothered to come, some even dressed up to the nines, would say that it was all worth coming and paying every single cent to watch it, no matter if they had sat nearer to the stage or way at the back.
Malaysia‘s Didie Alias introduced her hosting colleagues with a modified version of Lady Gaga‘s “Bad Romance“…
Yes, I know just by reading my Twitter timeline, Facebook wall, as well as online reports on the event, commenters out there did not paint a rosy picture. It is Anugerah Planet Muzik (APM) afterall, and what is being organised by our local Malay radio stations or even by our own Suria channel, will never be good for those watching at home, especially those who were watching from outside this country. This show has always received flak from the foreign media, who have too high expectations given that it is a regional event, so it was not a surprise for me to read the negative commentaries. I attribute some of these bad press to the fact that most of the foreign media did not turn up due to the lack of invitation and were not granted transportation & lodging as well by the organisers. I didn’t know that such practices are the norm in entertainment journalism, at least across our shores. I certainly learnt something new here cos I thought it was the job of their respective employers to provide these sort of arrangements to cover events. I’m still a newbie at this, so please forgive me for my ignorance.
Anyway I have to admit hand to heart, the show has its niggly flaws to contend with (which show is perfect you tell me???), but if you look at it in the bigger picture, would anyone else from Malaysia or Indonesia bother to do a similar show or even give our own local acts their due recognitions on stage??? Already from my Twitter timeline I read how so many people from outside this country have not heard of our local artistes, other than those who have made a name for themselves there. This is one of the reasons why Anugerah Planet Muzik is held, for artistes in each country to be introduced and known to the region and for the established ones to maintain their positions. If you ask me before this event was held, I have never heard of the likes of Amanda Imani, Aisya Hasnaa, Zivilia, Blackout, Astrid, Govinda and Febrian before this, just to name a few of the region’s newbie acts, but thanks to APM, I now know that even though they are new to the scene, they do not lack in quality.
The awesome foursome who lit the night up with their antics…
Likewise I hope that people outside this country would get to know our acts better and who knows, their presence on stage would open more doors for them across our shores. The problem with viewers outside Singapore is that they are too nationalistic in their views over their respective music scenes and think they have the bigger and better industry. Of course they do, that I do not deny, but isn’t music meant to be shared and enjoyed universally??? No matter what the foreign media or entertainment bloggers or even general viewers might say about APM, it is an event such as this that brings the region together and for the musicians, performers, producers, lyricists and composers to build a working network, so as to bring up the quality of music in this region through the proliferation and exchanging of ideas. In this respect, the words of Gigi‘s front man, Armand Maulana, – “Keep the peace, love & respect for music” - rings true.
Though I had said that this is probably one of the better APMs in its history, the best was still the one in 2005 held at Suntec City Convention Hall where it was a sold-out event and it had a proper Red Carpet event, complete with artistes coming in limousines and the fans lining up the passageways to clamour and jostle for photographs. Now that’s what a Red Carpet event should be about. Not that this year was not good, but it could have been done slightly better. I heard and I saw for myself how fans were coming forward to grab the artistes or stepped forward on the Red Carpet themselves when it was supposed to be exclusivity for the artistes to walk on. Why they were allowed to do this was because there were no barricades separating the artistes and them. Some who had grabbed the artistes or stepped foot on the red carpet only served to slow down the smoothness of the proceedings. Still, I thought it was much better than in 2006 where the artistes had to “do the catwalk” on stage to be introduced to the audience. My other gripe would be more artistes should have walked the carpet even if they were not performing or presenting awards. Quite a few of our nominees were in attendance. At least give them their deserved spotlight on their big night.
The suave Adi Rahman…
In any awards show, the host/s have a responsibility of keeping the interest of viewers going. I like the make-up of this year’s hosting line-up, especially the introduction of Malaysia‘s Lady Gaga, Didie Alias, and Indonesian MTV VJ, Daniel Mananta. They brought a new and more creative element into the mix, a breath of fresh air no doubt. Didie‘s over-the-top antics stole the show, while the rest looked more than happy to play the supporting role. However, some of what was written on their scripts and planned antics were unnecessary, like the dig on Malaysian actress Rozita Che Wan and her reported beau, Shahir, for instance. It’s like a recycled joke when Adi Rahman used to profess his love for Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza in previous APMs that he had hosted before. I was just amazed the Lady Gaga segment at the beginning of the show passed by without any hoo-ha, given the fact that her “modified” songs brought so much consternation over the past week on this island, due to the furore surrounding the National Day Parade‘s “Fun Pack“.
The opening segment comprising an all-Singaporean affair, which had never been done before in the history of the show, was a fresh idea and one that had the audience cheering right from the start. It gave an impression that our local acts, acting as our ambassadors, were the ones who did the welcoming to their regional counterparts and the audience watching at home to the show. Everyone looked as though they were enjoying themselves, most notably our newly-crowned Anugerah 2011 champion, Rahayu Ridwan. However, I personally feel that it would have been better had a song by any one of our local acts be sung instead. Looking at their comfort on stage, whilst rapping is the forte of SleeQ, our three Idols are more known as crooners rather than rappers. Part of the lyrics to the song “Senyum” also related more on the original performer’s (Malique) life, which does not really reflect much about welcoming us to the show. Some of their voices were also inaudible at times or drowned by the live music, due to technical problems with the microphone volumes.
The affable Fiza O…
I will of course, not describe each and every single performance per se, as you can view all of them on YouTube, thanks to the people who have uploaded them. Personally I enjoyed a bulk of the performances that night and three hours went by a little too fast for my liking. From the various solo and group performances, to the teaming up of regional acts on stage, APM 2011 delivered in its live entertainment value. I was extremely proud of our local acts, each and every single one of them, who showed that they were able to stand tall along with their regional counterparts. There was no inferiority complex whatsoever, just confident performances throughout. Aryan Band, is one that needs a special mention as most people in Singapore have also not heard of them before this, yours truly included. Just by their name, I thought they were from Indonesia. Their rendition of “Azura 2011” had the hairs at the back of my neck standing by the end of their performance. No wonder Luncai Emas Sdn Bhd have signed them up under their label. This group is certainly about to go places in the upcoming future.
Other local acts that need to be given props are Sarah Aqilah (“Seikhlas Hatimu“) and Sezairi Sezali. The former has certainly grown and improve from her Anugerah 2009 win and I do hope she would go on to build a proper singing career once her studies are over. Sezairi on the other hand, impressed with his soothing vocals when he performed “Matahari“. Other notable performances that I enjoyed that night were Amanda Imani (“Selamilah Cinta“), Afgan Syah Reza (“Terima Kasih Cinta” / “Dia Dia Dia“), and the tribute to Anugerah Khas Planet Muzik recipient, Melly Goeslaw, by Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, Jaclyn Victor and Melly herself. 3 Suara, which comprises Ning Baizura, Jaclyn Victor & Shylla Amzah, was another that grabbed the attention with their sultry showmanship. Even though I also loved Ajai and Shylla‘s duet, performing The Lion Story & Zahidah‘s “Lagu Teman“, it would have been nice if the original singers were given their dues and opportunity to perform on the night.
Daniel Mananta is definitely a hit with the ladies…
Surprisingly, I did not quite enjoy two of my favourite performers’ performances and I’m sure you can more or less guess who. Though I love Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza and Faizal Tahir to bits, I thought their performances that night did not quite work out as it should be. The former’s song “I’m Falling In Love“, which is a new single in her upcoming English album, is a bit too identical to Kylie Minogue‘s “Can’t Get You Outta My Head“, along with the dance steps. As for the latter, I’m sure you know what happened when he went flat and off-key when performing “Hanyut” and “Selamat Malam“. The delay to his performance was caused by the hanging of his accompanying keyboardist’s PC. But he should have saved the day by engaging the audience with his witty quips, which he is known for, rather than keep quiet and let the seconds and minutes go by.
From what I read online, a lot of people were blaming the organisers and production team for this particular boo-boo and this also included the four-minute loss of transmission towards the end, which I felt was quite unfair, since most of these comments were made by people who did not watch the show live. The loss of transmission was due to the heavy storm which descended outside the event venue just before Dato’ Siti was awarded the Most Popular Regional Artiste Award. Acts of God like these are unavoidable and there is no way you can prevent if such a thing were to occur. Some went so far as to comment they demand an explanation from the organisers, even if they have to wait till the end of time. Be realistic, don’t be ridiculous!!! As for Mr Superman himself, I hope he had done enough sound checks beforehand to know what could possibly go wrong on the night. That’s the reason why you have sound checks and rehearsals leading up to a show.
Other unsavoury bits of news I heard were some artistes smoking in the waiting room and throwing their cigarette butts on the carpeted floors. I dunno if this is plain stupidity or ignorance or simply a lack of common sense on their part, but they could have caused a fire to break out as a result and more damage to the show. Basic etiquettes like not chewing gum when you’re on stage performing or even when accepting an award, should also be drummed into the heads of wannabe artistes out there. Not only is it rude with millions in the region watching your every move, it reflects badly on the country you represent. There is a time and place to enjoy that puff or chew the gum, but don’t ruin your newly-built reputations when the media is ever ready to pounce on your flaws and bring you down. If you are a Singaporean artiste, you will count yourselves very lucky the media here are very much forgiving and always giving the benefit of doubt. Malaysian or Indonesian artistes do not exactly enjoy that liberty.
Looking at the winners, I don’t think eyebrows need to be raised with most of the choices, even though many people have been questioning the wisdom in crowning the Lagu Serantau Paling Popular Award to our Asian Idol, Hady Mirza. No doubt his win in that category was a bit surprising. I also did not expect any of our local acts to win in that category for the sole reason being our population size, as compared to our regional counterparts. If voters from other countries are crying foul, then it’s their fault for not working hard or having the presence of mind to vote for their respective favourites, given the fact that they were already told via the official radio stations in their respective countries on how to go about voting for their favourites. Either way, the tech savvy ones simply did not bother to vote nor having the initiative to find out how to do it. No point calling it a farce when other sets of fans have worked hard to make it possible.
But the crowning of Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza as the Most Popular Regional Artiste (Throughout The Decade) was the one that surprised me in terms of what it meant for her in future. By virtue of winning this award, and what the television viewers did not get to see due to the loss in transmission, it was announced that she is automatically exempted from being nominated again in upcoming Anugerah Planet Muzik events in this particular category. I dunno if this was an executive decision made by the organisers or one that the diva herself had agreed upon beforehand, but I hope for her sake, she is not “banned” from being nominated again and that it was in agreement that she would give way to others, just like what she did with Anugerah Juara Lagu and Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian back in her home country. This win was very much expected given the fact that she is well-loved by people from the three countries. Ten in a row, it will take someone equally special to top that feat and may never be repeated in our lifetime.
I also would like to go on record to say I like the delectable mix of award presenters that night, even though it also has to be said that a constant complain at every APM is the “recycling” of performers and them backing up as presenters as well. I think the ones that were most enjoyable that night were Dato’ AC Mizal & Huda Ali as well as Halim Othman & Linda Onn. Their banters were off-the-cuff, natural and showed uncanny chemistry between them. Linda certainly impressed me with her natural usage of Bahasa Baku, something that even most of us do not practice every day. The only downside to the scripts were the sexual innuendoes which I felt were a bit unnecessary or the jibes on their fellow presenters’ private lives. There is a place for jokes like that, but not when the show is watched by millions of viewers of all ages in the region.
I have a niggly issue with the finale though and I need to do a bit of complaining about it. I thought it could have been done much better by having a final rousing performance by any of the acts to end the night, but it was not to be. Instead, it ended with the hosts thanking everyone and the sponsors and it was left to them to dance along to the accompanying music and waving to the audience in the hall and at home. For most of the good things that happened that night, it had to end off with an anti-climax like that. I think the one in 2007 where the show ended with Kris Dayanti, Hady Mirza, Diddy and the late Yanie (May Allah bless her soul), was an example of a good finale. I really hope that the organisers would think about this aspect the next time they stage APM anywhere in the region, as it would be a waste to end off a good show with nothing more than what was displayed, plus the traditional showering of confetti upon everyone seated at the front and on stage.
Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 was, in my humble opinion, a generally enjoyable event. A pity then that the arena was only about half full when it should have been a sell-out. The line-up was great, the performances were mostly excellent. Yes I detected a few technical problems when I watched it again on YouTube and that is something that the organisers should take heed and note for the betterment of future productions. Given the economic climate, I feel that if it were to be organised here again, it should be held at a smaller venue where the acoustics would lend justice to the performers as well as those watching in the arena and at home. Kudos to those who paid f0r and dressed up for the event. The ones who enjoyed themselves were those who were in attendance. It was two different experiences soaking the atmosphere live and watching from the comfort of home. And that is where we get the accolades and flak from different sets of viewers. Anugerah Planet Muzik 2012 if it is to be staged, God willing, will probably be held in Jakarta, though I hope that it would be in Kuala Lumpur instead.
P.S. A big thank you to Mediacorp Radio Warna 94.2FM & RIA 89.7FM for the kind invitation to the event. Thank you also to my outfit sponsor Jatt’s Collezione for the top I wore the other night. In case you are wondering why there are no photographs on the performances, award presenters as well as post-event reception, I have planned to upload them in subsequent entries so you need to come back soon…
Anugerah Planet Muzik 2011 Roll of Honour
Sandhy Sondoro
Vokal Terbaik (Artis Baru Lelaki)
Amanda Imani
Vokal Terbaik (Artis Baru Wanita)
Ana Raffali, Suhaimi Meor Hassan & Altimet
Vokal Terbaik (Duo / Kumpulan Baru)
Lagu Teman – The Lion Story & Zahidah
Lagu Terbaik Singapura
Awan Nano – Hafiz AF7
Lagu Terbaik Malaysia
Cintailah Aku Sepenuh Hati – Ari Lasso
Lagu Terbaik Indonesia
Sayang – Dayang Nurfaizah & Marcell
Kolaborasi Terbaik
(image credits: Dayang Nurfaizah’s blog site)
Faizal Tahir
Artis Lelaki Terbaik
Rossa
Artis Wanita Terbaik
3 Suara – Jaclyn Victor, Ning Baizura & Shylla Amzah
Duo / Kumpulan Terbaik
Awan Nano – Hafiz AF7
Lagu Terbaik
Energi – Kotak
Album Terbaik
(image credits: Bagaz.Minang)
