KUALA LUMPUR – Recognising the enduring legacy of the late legendary artist Tan Sri P. Ramlee, a group of supporters, comprising a leading property developer and the Penang Free School alumni association, have come together to provide financial assistance to ease the burdens faced by his family.
Encorp Bhd chairman Yusmadi Yusoff recently visited the residence of Sazali in Semenyih, delivering collected funds totaling RM4,100 to the family.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Old Frees Association in Singapore, garnered contributions from notable figures such as Singapore’s former foreign minister, George Yeo, and distinguished architect and scholar Teh Key Soon.
Yusoff expressed concern over the challenges confronting Sazali and his wife, Hamidah Hitam, who rely primarily on government welfare payments, despite P. Ramlee’s status as a national treasure.
He underscored the need for a holistic approach to address P. Ramlee’s legacy, urging an end to disputes over royalties and advocating for sustained support for his descendants.
“The last (royalty) payment was roughly around RM8,000 and was made last year. Currently, their only source of income is welfare payments from the government.
“The wife is currently in poor health as she was recently involved in a car accident, and the family relies on the royalties to pay the necessities,” he told Scoop.
According to the Copyright Act 1987, royalty payments to artists’ heirs for their works cease 50 years after the artist’s death.
Sazali has been advocating for an extension of these payments for his father’s works, seeking to prolong the duration from 50 to 70 years. However, he has yet to receive an official response from the government.
Yusoff said it was important to aspire for the matters concerning the royalties of P. Ramlee’s work to be approached not solely through a legal lens but also through the prisms of social, cultural, and humanitarian considerations.
Highlighting P. Ramlee’s profound cultural impact across Asean, Yusoff stressed the importance of elevating this issue to a matter of national interest and fostering bilateral and regional understanding.
He called for greater involvement from leadership in Malaysia and Singapore to uphold P. Ramlee’s legacy and ensure his descendants receive rightful recognition and support.
“P. Ramlee’s legacy is clear to see; his impact can be seen throughout the Asean countries; this issue has to be seen as a national interest issue; it’s the only way to preserve his legacy,” he said.
“Tan Sri P. Ramlee is a shared common ground to nurture bilateral and regional understanding among the two countries and also in Asean. It is essential that due consideration be given to supporting the descendants of P. Ramlee, ensuring that their rightful inheritance from his legacy is duly honoured,” he said.
Underscoring the broader significance of initiatives like this, Yusoff emphasised the potential for cultural diplomacy to bridge divides and promote mutual understanding, positioning P. Ramlee as a unifying force within the Asean community. – April 20, 2024