PETALING JAYA: It has been 25 years since singing legend Datuk Sudirman Arshad (pic) passed away, but his music still lives on among Malaysians.

With hits such as Balik Kampung, Tanggal 31 and Basikal Tua, Sudirman’s catalogue of Malaysian pop classics remains unsurpassed.

The late Sudirman was truly a performer like no other, managing to unite Malaysians with his songs, which were often filled with social commentary.

His open-air concert on 14 April 1986 at Jalan Chow Kit drew a massive 100,000-strong crowd and is still considered one of the most iconic and memorable concerts ever held on Malaysian soil.

In 1989, he won the Asian Popular Music Awards competition at Royal Albert Hall in London for the song One Thousand Million Smiles.

Sudirman who was also dubbed the “singing lawyer” died aged 37 on Feb 22, 1992.

He started his career after winning the Bintang RTM (song competition) in 1976. His early albums like Aku Penghiburmu (1978), Perasaan (1979), Anak Muda (1980), Lagu Anak Desa (1980) and Lagu Dari Kota (1981) laid the foundations for his illustrious career that took him beyond Malaysia.

Fellow artist Datuk D.J. Dave paid tribute to Sudirman, saying that he was one of the greatest, creative and hardworking performers in the country.

He recalled one time when Sudirman was very sick in hospital but the entertainer still sneaked out to sing for his fans for a show.

“He went against all odds, saying that he had to keep his appointment with his fans. He went for the show even though he was sick. We lost one of the greatest entertainers who had it all,” he said.