PROMISING new singer Zubir Ali Khan admits that growing up with a disability is difficult.
In the 24-year-old's case, a nasty accident robbed him of part of his right arm when he was only 4.
"A dough mixer at my father's bakery caused me to lose part of my arm.
"Even though doctors initially succeeded in re-attaching it, that part of my arm that was severed eventually went numb and had to be rid of," said Zubir after receiving the National Press Club of Malaysia-MACROKIOSK Muhibbah Awards 2024.
INADEQUATE
The awards, held at MACROKIOSK Kuala Lumpur recently, was attended by NPC exco member Capt (R) Abdul Rahmat Omar Mohamad Hanif and MACROKIOSK co-founder and chief executive officer Datuk Kenny Goh.
Reflecting on his younger years, Zubir said living without a limb made him feel "abnormal and inadequate".
"My parents and four elder siblings, however, were always there to support and encourage me," said Zubir, the youngest child in his family.
"My family is my backbone. Whenever I felt that I couldn't do something, they encouraged me until I did it.
"They kept reminding me that I needed to believe in myself, and thanks to them, I can now do many things."
SELF-TAUGHT
Zubir, who excels in singing Tamil songs and is a self-taught recording artiste, lives by a simple saying that his parents taught him: if God takes something away, He gives you something more in return.
Zubir, the second recipient of the Muhibbah Awards that honour Malaysians who transcend cultural barriers and enhance the spirit of Bangsa Malaysia, has taken social media by storm with his original Tamil songs since 2019.
A HIT
NPC president Datuk Ahirudin Attan, in a congratulatory statement to Zubir, said they recognised his Muhibbah spirit that was reflected in the original Tamil songs he came up with and have become a hit with Malaysians from all walks of life.
"Achieving national unity rests on every Malaysian, and it starts with imparting that spirit to our young ones.
"A truly Muhibbah Malaysia can only be attained through the collective efforts of all of us, and Zubir has displayed this beautifully by bringing together many people with his love for Tamil songs," said Ahirudin.
JOY
The award carries a cash prize of RM2,000.
Zubir thanked NPC and MACROKIOSK for the award.
"It brings me great joy seeing my songs bringing many people together."
OIL PALM
As the youngest of five siblings, Zubir had many Indian and Chinese friends in the oil palm estate in Sepang, where he spent his first three years.
"Everyone in the estate spoke Tamil and mingled without racial barriers," he said.
Zubir picked up the language and improved his command of it through conversations with friends, and by listening to Tamil music.
"Besides Tamil, I can speak Urdu, which I learnt from my father.
"I am learning Mandarin with a little help from my elder brother, who learnt the language much earlier."
MUSICIAN
Zubir acquired a love of music from his father, who was a part-time musician in the estate.
"I was more into music, especially Indian music. I loved watching Tamil and Hindi movies."
PLAYBACK
Zubir is a big fan of Tamil music composer and performer Anirudh.
"He is the greatest Tamil playback singer, and I grew up enjoying his music."
HOPES
Zubir uploaded videos of his singing online in 2019, but he did not have high hopes.
The response was overwhelming — one of his videos hit 500,000 views and another hit a million.
Zubir quickly became a household name as the first Malay singer to perform his own Tamil songs.
Last year, the song 'Yennode Macha', which was composed by Music Kitchen and penned by Zubir, catapaulted him to nationwide fame.
CATCHY
"This catchy song, which means 'My Friend', became a hit in the Tamil and Malay music markets," Zubir said.
"I have written songs about love and break-ups, but never songs about friendship.
"So I figured, why not give it a go. Now, that song has changed my life."
SINGAPORE
Big things are in store for Zubir.
"Not too long ago, I had my first performance in Singapore, and music lovers warmly welcomed me."
Zubir is working on a mini album that he hopes to complete next year.
"Fans can also look forward to my collaboration with an international artiste."