“I AM so deeply moved by the outpouring of support and love that I have received by my friends in the industry,” said veteran crooner Datuk Dahlan Zainuddin when met at the Datuk Dahlan Charity Fundraising Concert at Hard Rock Cafe in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Organised by Persatuan Karyawan Malaysia and Melody United Music, the concert was to raise funds to aid Dahlan’s road to recovery.
The Kisah Seorang Biduan hitmaker suffered a stroke in June and is undergoing treatment.
For five hours, the cafe was lit up with fans and old-time crooners, who came to support and celebrate the man of the hour.
Hitmakers and close friends of Dahlan from the 1980s, including JayJay of Carefree, Jatt of Black Dog Bone and Fredo Villenguez of Flybaits, performed evergreen songs, such as Rindu Bayangan, Kenangan Lalu and Bila Rindu, as a tribute to the 75-year-old.
Like a champ, Dahlan braved himself to perform for the audience as well, closing the show with a few songs like Lagu Joget, Kisah Seorang Biduan and Save The Last Dance For Me with his soft voice.
“Initially my wife thought I wouldn’t be physically ready to sing at this event, but I knew that I wanted to do this, this is my passion,” Dahlan said.
Karyawan President Datuk Freddie Fernandez, who was present, said collection from the concert ticket sales was around RM5,000.
“Initiatives such as this is the start of many more as we know there are many artistes who are in need of assistance,” said Freddie.
Jay Jay, whose real name is Mohd Fauzi Darus, said when he was invited to sing at the event, he immediately said yes.
“As an artiste, this is one of the ways for me to contribute to a fellow artiste who is in need.
“Today is Dahlan’s day, tomorrow might be ours. You’ll never know, life is fleeting. And we’re not young any more.
“We may not see each other often, but we are close. I hope the collection from this event will help Dahlan and his family, and I hope he will recover soon,” said Jay Jay.
Another singer, Nashrudin Elias or better known as Nash from rockband Lefthanded also made a surprise performance by singing Datuk Ramli Sarip’s hit tune Kamelia for Dahlan.
Expressing his admiration for Dahlan’s strong will and determination to continue singing despite his condition, Nash said: “Dahlan fights this battle like a champion. Even though he’s in a state where he should be resting at home, he picks himself up and continues to perform for his fans.
“Perhaps being surrounded by friends and fans is a way for him to lift his spirits. What’s important is that we give him our unconditional support.
Reminiscing on their friendship, Nash said: “We go way back, Dahlan and I. I remember playing football with him during our younger days. He was a great coach to our team. A strict one too, but nevertheless, he is loved by all of us.”
On June 5 last year, Dahlan lost consciousness as a result of a stroke. Since then, he spent most of his time at Kuala Lumpur Hospital and the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital for treatments, accompanied by his wife and singer, Datin Effa Rizan, along with his four children and seven grandchildren.