More than three decades since its first release, the song ‘Setia’ by local songstress Fransissca Peters remains a part of Malaysia’s Merdeka celebrations, with its main message of loyalty to the country and duty to serve.
The year was 1988 and then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was leading Malaysia in the aftermath of Umno’s internal turmoils that eventually split the ruling party and its supporters.
Then information minister, the late Mohamed Rahmat, launched the song as part of his “Setia Bersama Rakyat” programme to “instil patriotism” among the people.
Mohamed died at the age of 72 in 2010 but his legacy lives on through the song, noted his eldest son, Johor BN deputy chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
“I’m quite proud that he manages to leave a legacy with that song,” the Umno Pulai chief shared when met on the sidelines of the ongoing Pulai by-election.
“I was there when he wrote the lyrics of the song.
“He wrote the lyrics and asked the composer to fit the melody to the lyrics,” Nur Jazlan (above) told Malaysiakini at the Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat complex in Pulai on Tuesday.
The song’s melody was composed by former RTM music director Ahmad Dassilah.
It should be noted that in 2018, songwriter Habsah Hassan told Astro Awani that she wrote the lyrics to ‘Setia’ upon Mohamad’s request.
She then added that she was not disappointed not to be listed among its songwriters.
When asked about this, Nur Jazlan repeated that his father had written the lyrics and asked why Habsah didn't raise the issue at the time.
Refocusing public attention
Nur Jazlan recalled how the song, after its initial release, successfully shifted public attention away from Umno’s internal crisis and focus on nation-building.
“The song ‘Setia’ is so magnetic because it’s just two verses. The melody is the right melody, not a high tempo.
“It was meant to be sombre and remind people of the seriousness of the situation at the time,” Nur Jazlan said in between sips of coffee from a mug with his father’s image.
However, the former Pulai MP said the successful government messaging was also partly due to the strict control under his father’s watch over official media channels and no influence of social media.
“Everything was unified and messages can be broadcast again and again and again until it got into people’s minds.
“Forget about the troubles and focus on rebuilding the country,” Nur Jazlan said.
With official government channels no longer the only or preferred mode for the public to receive information, Nur Jazlan noted it is unlikely the same strategy to instil patriotism or foster unity would work in current times.
In conjunction with the Merdeka celebrations, Transport Minister Anthony Loke on Monday released a music video on Facebook, featuring himself together with a line-up of DAP cabinet members, deputy ministers, and MPs, singing an updated version of ‘Setia’.
Song ‘very relevant now’
When contacted, Loke said ‘Setia’ remains a personal favourite from his time in school when it was included as part of the weekly assembly.
“Those who grew up in the 1980s would know this song very well and I think it’s one of the best patriotic songs ever written.
“The lyrics are very appropriate and I think it’s reflective of building a united nation,” the DAP secretary-general told Malaysiakini yesterday.
Loke said he commissioned a local composer to rearrange the song and spent several hours in a recording studio with other DAP MPs including Hannah Yeoh, V Sivakumar, Syahredzan Johan, and Young Syefura Othman - resulting in ‘Kitalah Malaysia - Setia (2023)’.
“I think this song is very relevant now. There’s something about loyalty to the country, working together, talking about contributing to the country.
“All these are reflective of the spirit we want to bring about in the unity government,” said Loke, adding the song release was his personal project for the DAP.
Commenting on the new release, Nur Jazlan said he wondered how his late father would have felt about the DAP adopting the song written partly to revive Umno after the party’s major crisis.
“The lyrics were written for the political, economic situation at that time,” he said, adding any changes would also require permission from the song’s copyright owner.
Meanwhile, Loke said the current political climate has seen an increase in divisive politics, thus the DAP wanted to use the song to present a message as a part of the government.
“It will be shared on our social media.
“The whole point is to express a message that we want to contribute to national unity, the spirit of working together and contributing to the country,” he said.
This year’s Merdeka Day celebrations also coincided with ongoing campaigns for the twin Johor by-elections.
Pakatan Harapan and BN leaders had campaigned against what they described as divisive politics allegedly played up by their opponents from Perikatan Nasional.
The Election Commission has set polling for the by-elections for the Pulai parliamentary seat and the Simpang Jeram state seat in Johor on Sept 9.
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