KUALA LUMPUR : The mission of the Malaysian Artists Association (Karyawan) to assist artists and its members continues to Sabah through the charity concert tour, Legends, scheduled for November 1.
Organized by Karyawan, this tour is the second after the first concert held in the capital last June and also marks the first concert of the association under the leadership of its President, Datuk Freddie Fernandez, since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the country.
Karyawan Chairperson, Dato Khadijah Ibrahim, stated that a total of 11 musicians and singers will participate in the performance in Kota Kinabalu, including Dato Ramli Sarip, Dato Jamal Abdillah, and renowned guitarist Man Keedal, along with herself.
Scheduled to take place at the Sabah International Convention Centre, the concert will last nearly three hours and will also feature famous singers from Sabah, including Jimmy Palikat, Ayu Damit, Azharina Azhar, Mad Sabah, Daniesh Suffian, and Hairee KOOL. To add excitement, the rising star Aina Abdul will also be flown to Kota Kinabalu.
“As with the concert in Kuala Lumpur recently, the performance in Sabah aims to raise funds for the Karyawan Welfare Fund to help ease the burdens of artists in need. Over the past six months, Karyawan has provided assistance to more than 100 artists who are sick or have lost their ability to work, including Isma Aliff, Ross Ariffin, Rahim Maarof, Zaiton Sameon, Sofia Ibrahim, Zaleha Hamid, Fredo, and many others.
“Compared to the previous concert, in addition to myself, Dato Ramli Sarip and Dato Jamal Abdillah, and renowned guitarist Man Keedal will also be featured. Having four legends on one stage will undoubtedly create extraordinary energy at the event, which is expected to attract up to 2,500 attendees.
“The night would not be complete without performances from Sabah’s big talents, including Ayu Damit and Azharina, along with a sweet surprise from Aina Abdul. This is also part of Karyawan’s efforts to highlight the next generation so that the local arts industry continues to thrive,” she said while expressing gratitude to Hotel Seri Pacific for sponsoring today’s press conference.
Karyawan also welcomes the presence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, as the Guest of Honor, along with other dignitaries such as the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor; the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Malaysia, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu; the Deputy Chief Minister 1 and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Industry Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan; and the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu, Datuk Seri Dr Haji Sabin Samitah.
Khadijah stated that Karyawan’s efforts are in line with the President’s recommendation to ensure continuous assistance, especially for artists who are ill and unable to sustain their livelihoods.
She explained that the success of the previous Legends event, which managed to raise more than RM100,000, has encouraged Karyawan to plan to bring the event to Johor Bahru in the future.
“As announced by the Karyawan President, Datuk Freddie, the main goal of this event is to raise funds to assist veteran artists facing difficulties in life, especially those who are elderly and have lost their source of income and require consistent support.
“Karyawan has a long list of artists in need of attention. A total of 15 artists have been listed as beneficiaries of the aid through this event in Sabah, and we hope to raise more funds so that more can be helped,” she said.
Therefore, Karyawan also takes the opportunity to celebrate several Sabah artists who will be invited as guests at the event to strengthen relationships and show the association’s concern.
Khadijah further stated that Kota Kinabalu was chosen as the second location for the Legends night tour, among other reasons, to support tourism activities in Sabah, as well as to meet the demands of fans, including from Brunei.
“The appearance of legendary singers and musicians at this exclusive night will certainly benefit fans, including those from Brunei and Sarawak; we have also received inquiries from fans in Singapore.
“While entertaining and doing charity, the Legends night is also seen as part of the event to attract tourists to Sabah, thus supporting the state’s industry and economy,” she added.
Table sales, accommodating 10 people per table, have started at prices of RM3,000, RM5,000, RM10,000, RM20,000, and RM50,000. For VIP table sponsorship at RM100,000, the offer includes benefits as a co-sponsor throughout the promotional activities related to the event. For further inquiries, please contact Freddie at 012-2071400 or Azman at 016-2338888/016-2302621.
