Old but not forgotten
NST
SINCE its establishment four years ago, about 800 local artistes have received assistance from Yayasan Artis 1Malaysia (YA1M).
In time for the festive season, the foundation recently presented monetary aid to 30 veteran artistes, with each artiste receiving RM2,000 at its charity event at the Royal Selangor Club in Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur.
For artistes who have passed away, YA1M presented RM3,000 to their next-of-kin.
One of the recipients, Datin Ramziela Radzillah, 51, who received the contribution on behalf of her late brother Sharom Fadzillah, lauded YA1M’s move in assisting the veterans. Sharom, once an accomplished bass guitarist for rock band Kasawari and Lekir, succumbed to stage four lung cancer last November. He left behind two sons.
“This is an honourable effort from YA1M. The money will go towards the boys’ education,” said Ramziela. After her brother’s death, Ramziela took on the responsibility of caring for her nephews.
“It’s an amanat (duty and responsibility). Before he died, he had asked me to care for his sons like my own flesh and blood. I don’t see it as a burden. I have a daughter and now she has two brothers,” she added.
“When my brother divorced, he got custody of the kids. But they’ve been living with me since he got sick and was hospitalised. The boys’ mother has remarried, and I’ve not heard from her since,” she said.
Once a popular singer in the early 1990s, Ramziela is known for songs such as Gemilang Cinta and Samudra Kasih.
At the height of her popularity, she has performed in Okinawa, Taiwan, Bangkok and Jakarta. She has four albums under her belt, the last being the 1997 Mencari Cahaya. Currently, Ramziela is busy dividing her time between managing her cafe business MisiCafe & Shoppe in Sime Darby Pavillion in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam and caring for her family.
Besides using the money for the children’s education, Ramziela also plans to set aside some money to make a new tombstone for her brother.
\“It’s about time that I give his grave a ‘makeover’,” she said.
Apart from Sharom, the other recipients were veteran singer Siew May Khing, former drummer and bass guitarist of band Strangers Khaw Chiap Hua, violinist and keyboardist of Pak Wan and Friends Wan Azhar Wan Annuar, saxophonist Francis Theseira, Gerard V Emmanuel of The Smallstones and Ramli Harun. 27 reads Ramziela (second from right) together with her nephew Muhammad Shah Al-Hafiz (holding the mock cheque) at the event. Looking on are YA1M board member Nancie Foo (second from left) and YA1M deputy chairman Datuk M. Nasir (left). Pix by Nik Hariff Hassan
Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/01/206299/old-not-forgotten
