KUALA LUMPUR: The song Tiara he composed in 1991 for the band Kris has earned music genius Datuk M Nasir an award held at a hotel here last night.
The 67-year-old multitalented artiste garnered the Composer With The Highest Income Award for the second time in a row by the Music Authors' Copyright Protection (MACP) at its awards show which was also in conjunction with its 35th anniversary.
Through the same song, Nasir also received the award for the Song With Highest Income Earned Overseas.
Meanwhile, Taja Archive Sdn Bhd was named Local Producer With Highest Income, an award which Nasir's company Luncai Emas won last year.
Nasir was thrilled that Malay music fans had kept the song at the top for two consecutive years.
"I must insist that this award is not because the song is the best, but MACP had recognised it in terms of sales figures.
"While there may be other old songs which are better, but since its popularity could not be backed by a sales record, we may never know which songs are better, based on the criterion set for this award," he told reporters after the event.
He was also grateful to MACP, for having served composers and music publishers tirelessly in the past three decades.
In the late 1980s, Nasir was only a regular executive member before he went on to be named chairman for the MACP board members.
In his acceptance speech, he also urged young composers to create songs which could be received by music listeners outside Malaysia.
"And that is not just targetting Indonesia, with Malay songs, but now we have singers who are known in China and India.
"The markets in those countries are also huge," he explained.
Other winners last night included Universal Music Publishing Sdn Bhd which was also named Producer With The Highest Income again after last year's win.
Young singer and composer Bunga Isme received the Most Potential Young Composer award.
MACP also named the late Rosli Khamis a.k.a. Loloq, who contributed many lyrics for Nasir during his lifetime, with the Nadi Cipta Award as a nod to his contributions to the development of the local music industry.
Meanwhile, the song A Lai Si Jia Hai Wan, composed and written by Firdhaus and Li Kang Ning received the Chinese Song With Highest income for the second year as well.
Krish K was awarded with the Tamil Song Highest Income for the song he composed and wrote, Perak Khulle, also for the second year in a row.
Que Chill, the song performed and composed by Malique, with lyrics by Tripdisz won the English Song With Highest Income.
The song Cinta Sampai Mati, produced by Luncai Emas Sdn Bhd was awarded with the Most Performed Song In Overseas award, also for the second time.
The song Gatal performed by Janna Nick and composed by Aepul Roza won the Most Performed Malay Song award.
Harry Khalifah was announced the Best TikTok Composer for his single Sayunk I Love You.
The event also saw performances by singers which included Salamiah Hassan, Misha Omar, Akim Ahmad, Stacy, Dhilip Varman, Bell Foo Zya and Nasir himself.