REMEMBERING GENTLE SHAM

As announced, yesterdays vigil was dedicated to Syukree. I don't know how to say it but the first thing I did when I got up this morning was to view again the video that Pat Lu put up. I was making my little speech and the video caught Syukree seated near my feet and I was kidding him about his mask and being a double agent.....that was the last image of Syukree alive. Then I caught the video of Sahari a/l Sunta, an Orang Asli craftsman residing in Lake Chini. I put up a post title: A Forgotten Malaysian.

At 1O:455pm, just a while ago I was going thru some business cards and a card fell on my working table: It was AINOL HISHAM MOHD YASIN's card. I KNEW (yes past tense) him as Sham, the late son of Dato Hj Mohd Yasin Hj Taib and Datin Hjh Salmiah Mohamed. Things have a way of happening. Hari Raya is always spent at the Yassins home over countless years. But I missed it this year. After Raya Sham who was already unwell was admitted to UH and slipped into a coma. When he come out of it I still did not visit him. I stubbornly held to this belief that a hospital is a place to recuperate and too many visits can tire a patient. Maybe it was to be that Sham did not want me to see him in that state. I am confused and making unforgivable and lame excuses for my negligence.

OK this is the gentle Sham, always smiling, always concerned about others - a career musician, composer remembered fondly throughout the country as an accomplished lounge pianists.

Sham first stint was at the old Merlin Hotel, Kuala Lumpur (Now Concorde Hotel) where Ogy Ahmad Daud and Royston Sta Maria (of Roy & Fran) were entertainers at the same time. He

then got discovered and went on to work in the then mainstream hotels namely,

Ming Court Kuala Lumpur, PJ Hilton, The Regent Kuala Lumpur, Crown Princess

Hotel, Carcosa Seri Negara, Equatorial Hotel, Palace of The Golden Horses, etc.

Then there were the resorts such like Pangkor Laut Resort where he was the

1st musician to perform there. Other resorts include Tanjung Rhu Beach Resort,

Langkawi where he last performed and which was supposed to be a 1 month stint

which ended up to be more than a year. He had also overlapping contracts

@Berjaya Spa & Beach Resort, Langkawi as well as teaching music @Langkawi

Army Base Camp.

He also had performed @clubs and exclusive restaurants including Bankers Club,

The Royal Lake Club and Derby Restaurant.

In between ALL his contract over the years, he had also been engaged for private

functions and festivities such as weddings, annual dinners, birthdays, Christmas,

New Year, which were countless in numbers.

Throughout his career, he had ventured into composing commercial songs,

jingles, patriotic songs, nasyid, producing, etc. He was also an active MACP

member. Among his compositions were recorded by Ogy Ahmad Daud (Pop),

Edmond Prior (Pop), Lestari (Rock), AlarmMe (Nasyid), Malaysian Girl Guide

(Patriotic).

Karen did visit him and he asked Karen to sing him his favorite song: I have a dream. Karen did but emotion got the better of her and it is not possible to sing and cry.....Sham, I am deeply and regretably sorry that I did not see you duiring those difficult days. But please accept this dedication.

FAREWELL GENTLE SHAM