GEORGE TOWN: No one would have thought that the elderly man shuffling into Dewan Sri Pinang was the composer of more than 100 golden hits in his lifetime.
But musician Ooi Eow Jin, 77, walked out of the ceremony yesterday morning wearing his sash and badge of honour, the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN), which carries the “Datuk” title.
“I never thought I would be recognised by my own state. Today is the most special day of my life,” he smiled.
The DSPN is conferred on those who have contributed an uncommon service to society and reached a high standing. Only 800 living people can hold this title at any time.
Despite his vast collection of evergreen Malaysian hits sung by luminaries such as Tan Sri P. Ramlee, Sudirman, Alleycats, Francis Yip and Salamiah Hassan, Penang-born Ooi has led a modest life.
Moved by his plight of poverty, a group of musicians in Kuala Lumpur organised a fund-raising concert for him last month and collected over RM80,000.
“He never took royalty for his compositions. Ooi gave his life to music and did not pay any attention to gaining from it,” said family friend Jimmy Yeoh, who accompanied Ooi and his wife Elaine to the investiture.
But Ooi almost didn’t make it for the final day of the ceremony this year because the state government could not locate him at his rented home in SS2 Petaling Jaya, which he shares with several friends.
State Secretary Datuk Seri Farizan Darus said the state had sent a letter to his last known address but the mail was returned.
He was relieved when a relative of Ooi called the state secretariat after reading about the conferment in The Star Online.
“We went to the extent of planning a special investiture ceremony for him at Seri Mutiara if we could not find him on time.
“I am happy he made it because to be conferred his title in a packed hall is grander than a private ceremony,” Farizan said.
He said finding Ooi had been a priority because the musician was singled out by the Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas in the nomination process.
Ooi’s special day was made grander when Penang Philharmonic chairman Datin Seri Irene Yeap arranged for him to drop by the orchestra’s auditorium at The Star Pitt St, about 300m from Dewan Sri Pinang.
An 11-foot Steinway Model D grand piano was waiting for Ooi to play a few pieces. While wearing his award he regaled the small crowd with interesting renditions of pieces like The Girl from Ipanema, All of Me and Putera Puteri by Jimmy Boyle, straight from memory.
Orchestra director Danny Goon said the orchestra was gratified that Ooi’s contributions to the development of Malaysia’s musical industry “in such a selfless manner is recognised. It is a well-deserved honour”.
Stroking a melody out of the ivory keys of the grand piano, Ooi said: “Play something well, and people will want you to play again and again.”
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