And it’s not just because Sudirman’s iconic song, “Tanggal 31”, continues to be played on the radio whenever Merdeka Day is around the corner.
“The late Abang Sudir was very nationalistic in his style and appearance,” said Azhar, 51.
“He wanted his fans of different races to keep the spirit of patriotism alive and to show them that we would be nothing without our independence.”
Sudirman, whose string of patriotic songs include “Warisan” and “Tegakkan Bendera Kita”, frequently dressed in Jalur-Gemilang-themed outfits at his concerts.
The more memorable of the concerts included the 1989 Salem Music Awards Festival at London’s Royal Albert Hall and the closing ceremony of the 15th SEA Games that same year at the Merdeka Stadium.
Azhar, a printing company employee, remains a Sudirman fan to this day. He has memorabilia from the days gone by and even letters the singer wrote to him.
“Whenever I wrote to him, he would reply within a few weeks,” he said. “He would answer every question I asked.
“When I received his first letter, I was beyond happy. I know the late Abang Sudir had lots of fans and many wrote to him. Yet he could still respond to every letter.”
Azhar said Sudirman would also send his fans autographed photos of himself.
Recalling the one time he got to meet Sudirman after a concert, he said the way he greeted him showed how much the star appreciated his fans.
“He really knew his fans,” he said. “He greeted us even before we could greet him.”
Sudirman, who continues to be widely regarded as an icon of national unity, died on Feb 22, 1992. He was 37.
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