An appreciation of the booming tenor

I AM fairly certain that many Malaysians, particularly those who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, are saddened to learn about the death of Jamaludin Alias, a renowned singer of patriotic songs and former sports broadcaster (“Jamaludin Alias, Perajurit Tanah Air (Inilah Barisan Kita) singer, passes away at 85”, The Star, April 22; online at bit.ly/star_alias).

I fondly recall that during the 1960s, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) regularly aired patriotic songs penned by well-known composers such as the late Jimmy Boyle and Saiful Bahri. These songs were meant to instil national pride and a sense of camaraderie among Malaysians of all races.