KUALA LUMPUR: They may be gone but the service and devotion they gave to help elevate the arts scene in Malaysia will always be remembered.
The Imarah Zulhijjah programme, organised by the Association of Journalists & Entertainment Writers of Malaysia (Wham) at the Ukay Perdana Mosque in Hulu Klang, Selangor recently, paid homage to friends in the field of journalism who had passed on.
It was also held in memory of recently deceased artistes including the late Pyanhabib and media practitioner Kamal Huzaini Kamaludin or Huzz.
Wham president, Datuk Tengku Khalidah Tengku Bidin, said that arts and entertainment journalism had an intriguing side to it since it often touched on sensational and controversial stories involving famous and popular personalities.
"Thus, arts and entertainment journalists themselves are partly well-known in the community. We certainly remember the names of the late Huzz, Abdul Jalil Salleh (Juwie), Aimi Jarr, Bahyah Mahmood (Bam), and many others.
"This is because they are important people behind the career development of many artistes in Malaysia.
"This Imarah Zulhijjah programme is held to take a little time to remember friends who have passed away. We pray and hope that the blessings from the tahlil ceremony and reading of Yasin held here will be beneficial to all including those who are no longer with us," she said in a recent Harian Metro report.
Tengku Khalidah added that Wham was grateful for solid cooperation from the mosque committee, visitors, artiste friends, and media practitioners.
"Thank you to the National Film Development Corporation (Finas), especially CEO, Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib, who is always supportive and encouraging of events such as this.
"This programme is very meaningful to Wham as it is the only organisation that fights for the welfare of arts and entertainment journalists in the country," she said.
Among the artiste friends who attended the tahlil and prayer ceremony were Datuk Rosyam Noor, Den Wahab, Nora Tamam, Raja Alawiah Raja Idris, Ramlah Ram, Ellie Suriaty, Betty Banafe and Raja Azmi.
The arts and entertainment journalism friends that have passed on and were honoured include Huzz, Siti Nor Hafiza Kamarudin, Noor Azlina Jaafar, Rafi Awang Kechik, Rudy Imran Shamsudin, Faizal Shahruni, Hardi Effendi Yaacob, Fauziah Johar, Fauzi Edros and Fauzi Hadi.
Some of the others include Buhairi Ramli, Baharudin Abu Bakar, Ramnah Yassin, Zakaria Ahmad, Azman Ahmad, AR Kamaludin, Sadhana Abd Kadir, Khairul Azleyna Ishak, Haniff Abdul Ghani, Seri Bayu, Aimi Jarr, Ashraf Abdul Manaf, Meor Shahriman, Norshah Thamby, Abdul Jalil Salleh, Ahmad Idris, Sani Salleh, Wan Sandari, Wan Manisah, Zaini Zaa, Brother Bob, Bahyah Mahmood and Omar Manan.