Sultan Ahmad Shah often helped struggling artistes

PEKAN: The death of Pahang’s Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah ibni Almar­hum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mu’adzam Shah will have a profound effect on local artistes, especially those who had personal contact with him.

Actor Datuk Seri Shah Rezza said Sultan Ahmad Shah would lend a hand whenever he heard of an artiste in dire straits.

“He would often advise us to maintain a good name. I have taken his advice and made it my practice,” he told reporters after paying his last respects at Balairung Seri in Istana Abu Bakar yesterday.

Shah Rezza said he managed to visit Sultan Ahmad Shah at the National Heart Institute (IJN) the night before his death.

“I arrived at 11pm and read Surah Yasin by his side. I left at 8am the next day.

“Shortly after arriving home, I received the news of his death. I was shocked as I realised that was my last meeting with him,” he said.

Singer Datuk Seri Jamal Abdillah revealed that the lyrics of the song Simfoni Sepi were written by Sultan Ahmad Shah in memory of his wife Tengku Ampuan Afzan Tengku Muhammad, who died in 1988.He said he was touched when Sultan Ahmad Shah accepted his invitation to attend Konsert 3 Suara in 2016 despite his poor health.

Jamal said his invitation was a birthday gift to the Sultan and he went to IJN personally to deliver it.

“From the 1980s up to two years ago, Tuanku often invited me to perform at his birthday celebrations and I knew the songs he liked.

“Besides Simfoni Sepi, his other favourite song was P. Ramlee’s Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti,” Jamal said. — Bernama