Currently there is a hot issue brewing with regards to the Federal Territory Ministry wanting to change the FT "state" anthem "Maju & Sejahtera"... I wrote the lyrics.. here's a report on today's The Star newspaper:
THE announcement that the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry was planning to change the Federal Territories anthem — Maju dan Sejahtera (Progressive and Prosperous) — to a more upbeat song to suit the current generation appears to have received an unfavourable response from the entertainment industry.Singers, Musicians and Composers Association of Malaysia (Papita) president Datuk M. Daud said national or state anthems should not be changed as and when it suited someone’s fancy.
“One must first study the impact of a such a change on the people as they would have to learn the new song. If they must change something, then change the tempo like what was done for the Negaraku. But, even then, many still prefer the original version because of its nostalgic value,’’ he said.
"I am against any move to meddle with national or state anthems. There must be some respect for sacred institutions"- JOE CHELLIAH
Performers and Artiste Rights (M) Sdn Bhd (Prism) general manager Ong Peng Shu said it was not a good idea to change anthems every now and then. “Unless they come up with something that is really good, I don’t see the need for it,’’ he said.
Music Council of Malaysia (MMC) general manager Izzee Sulaiman suggested the ministry stick to the current anthem and music arrangement.
“Any move to make a song commercial also makes it seasonal. National and state anthems are not meant to be seasonal but everlasting,’’ Izzee said.
“The government should concentrate on making the country up-tempo instead of changing the FT anthem,’’ Malaysian Association for Music Education (MAME) president Joe Chelliah said.
“I am against any move to meddle with anthems. There must be some respect for both physical and non-physical sacred institutions,’’ he added.
Malaysian Association of Live Entertainment Performances (Malep) president Datuk Roslan Zainun said: “It’s not a good idea. If there is a need to change the tempo, the ministry should consult the experts — people who know music.
Maju dan Sejahtera lyricist Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor said: “I feel that any anthem should be slow. A relatively slow anthem allows one to really appreciate the words of the song.”
“The anthem should be given some time so people can relate to the lyrics. An anthem is not something you change just to suit the younger generation,’’ he said.
The FT anthem was was gazetted and launched by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail at Dataran Merdeka on Aug 20, 2006.
The anthem was composed by Datuk Wah Idris, the man behind the current version of the Negaraku and the Commonwealth Games 1998 theme song — Standing in the Eyes of the World.
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