Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

NST Online: StreetsJohor

Posted: 22 May 2011 12:23 PM PDT

GREAT MUSIC

2011/05/22
By Syed Abdullah Syed Mohamed

126 students mesmerise the audience in a two-hour concert

AT first, Liyana Syafini Jumaah had stage fright but she overcame it to give a wonderful performance.

The audience, at the recent Konsert Alunan Gempita 1 Malaysia, was clearly impressed by her renditions of Sani (Malay version of the Bobby Hebb's classic number Sunny) and That Thing You Do, a song from a popular 1996 movie of the same title.

"I was nervous during the first few minutes on stage but felt more confident as the audience began to appreciate my performance," said the 16-year-old student of Sekolah Seni in Johor Baru.

"I salute the musicians. Their performance was fantastic and the back-up music was well-balanced and melodious," said the Form Four student from Selangor.

Liyana was one of 126 students nationwide who took part in the two-hour concert. The other participants consisted of 33 string players, 20 brass and woodwind instrumentalists, 42 percussionists (traditional and modern instruments), 15 vocalists and 16 dancers.

Edward Dave Daniel, a Form Four student of SMK Kota Marudu, Sabah, played the sompoton which is a traditional musical instrument from his state.

He said: "I think the excellent performance of the group was due to the dedication of our trainers and our commitment during training," he said.

The audience which numbered more than 2,000 was treated to performances by an orchestra of contemporary and traditional instrumentalists, a six-member caklempong ensemble, dancers and songs from the 1960s to the 1980s.

These included songs made popular by the late Sudirman Arshad, Sharifah Aini, Ahmad Jais, Ramli Sarip, and Royston Sta Maria and Francesca Peters, who are more popularly known as Roy and Fran.

Some of the vocalists, especially the upper secondary students, were mistaken by the appreciative audience to be professional singers.

One of the more memorable performances was Retro, which featured visual and musical effects resembling that of the television programme Black and White Minstrel Show.

The audience showed their appreciation by clapping and waving their hands, and dancing to the catchy tunes.

Johor-born 60s pop singer A. Rahman Onn was the guest artiste. To the delight of the crowd, he crooned his evergreen hit Cincin Emas.

The concert, opened by Education Ministry deputy director-general (general policy and educational development) Dr Khair Mohamed Yusof, was the climax of the one-week Kem Muzik Sekolah-Sekolah Malaysia National at Selesa Hotel in Johor Baru.

Khair was greeted by the rhythmic beats of the rebana, and Chinese and Indian drums as he walked into the stadium.

Also present were the ministry's co-curriculum and arts division led by its director Muhamat Roli Hassan, Johor Education Department director Mohd Nor A. Ghani, education directors from other states and camp commander Mohd Long Hussin.

The musical camp, organised annually since 2005 is held in a different state every year. The first camp was held in Kuala Lumpur. It is under the patronage of the Education Ministry and administered by the ministry's co-curriculum and arts division.

The organising committee's assistant secretary Mohd Azhar Mohtar said the participants were selected by representatives of the various state education departments and priority was given to students with a formal musical background and experience performing at private or public functions.

Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

It's a joy to serve my Pontian people

Posted: 22 May 2011 09:57 AM PDT

It's a joy to serve my Pontian people

MY family used to live a tough life, a life without water and electricity.

My father, a rubber tapper, built a concrete well above the ground to store rainwater for drinking and domestic use. Our only source of light at night was from oil lamps.

That was life at Kampung Cina, Batu 33 Jalan Johor Baru-Pontian in Pontian in the 1970s.

After enduring such hardship, I vowed to make the most of my ability one day to help those in need.

I realised my aspiration.

I completed my primary education at SRJK(C) Chiaw Min and Form Five at SMK Dato Penggawa Barat before I enrolled for an accounting course in Johor Baru, and later in Kuala Lumpur.

As I came from a poor family, I had no choice but to work and study at the same time.

This was the only way for me to continue pursuing my studies in accountancy.

I remember having to travel to Kuala Lumpur every weekend for classes. I completed my ACCA qualification in 2004.

After my studies, I continued working in the accountancy firm where I had been working part-time while studying.

My boss treated me well. He was also Pontian district councillor and I used to follow him to see how he solved problems and assisted members of the community.

He told me the only way to help the community is to join a Barisan Nasional component party as it is the ruling party and in control of the administration.

I joined the MCA and worked my way up.

In 2006, I set up my own accountancy firm and in 2009, I became a district councillor.

I left the office work of my firm to my staff and concentrated on my work as a councillor. My base was my office.

I feel a sense of satisfaction whenever I help people.

It is common to handle simple tasks like clogged drains and potholes. Anything which involves my area is considered my concern.

Be it a fire which destroys a house or a flash flood which damages property, I have to be present at the scene to show my concern and render my help.

The area under my care was formerly forested.

Now it is probably the most developed zone in Pontian, with eight modern neighbourhoods, one big and two small industrial estates.

Mitsumi Technology (M) Sdn Bhd, which is half a century old, is in my area.

I hope thereis more development and investment in Pontian.

Otherwise, there will be few job opportunities, which explains why most of the locals are working in Singapore and only come back here on weekends.

I hope to serve people as long as I have the energy, as this gives me satisfaction like nothing else.

Ng Koh Lon, 34, is staying at Taman Sri Maju in Pontian

Interview by Sim Bak Heng

Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Isnin, 23 Mei 2011