The conflicting and controversial arguments over P Ramlee died poor is still much alive (no pun intended).
P. Ramlee died a pauper; he died hopelessly broke and broken, so they say.
The Malay Press headlines screamed:
P. Ramlee Jatuh Miskin Sebelum Meninggal Dunia
P.Ramlee Miskin Di Akhir Hayatnya
Even this Malaysian entertainment icon P. Ramlee is dead more than four decades.
Tan Sri Teuku Zakaria Bin Teuku Nyak Puteh, or better known by his stage name P. Ramlee died at the age of 44 from a heart attack on 29 May 1973.
Read this article by Osman Abadi, Utusan Malaysia, 30 Mei 1973, Malam Terakhir P. Ramlee.
P. Ramlee Died Poor Controversy
In 2016, the chief executive officer of Metrowealth Pictures, David Teo remarked the late legendary P. Ramlee e late star had lived only at Bukit Bintang, drew a lot of flaks.
Kalau tak jadi jutawan, jangan jadi pelakon. Gila glamor buat apa? Kita kena kaya raya. Jangan seperti P Ramlee tinggal pun di tepi Bukit Bintang. Anak dia kena kerja dengan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL).
Later David Teo apologized for his P. Ramlee comment.
David Teo’s passing remark, triggered a deluge of hostile reactions.
Instantly, it triggered a big hue and cry, especially among P. Ramlee’s family members and those in the Malay entertainment industry.
Many Malaysians believe P. Ramlee died broke and a broken man.
He was shunned by the public and even his colleagues, before he passed away.
But according to the Penang Malay Association (Pemenang) chairman Tan Sri Yusoff Latiff, P. Ramlee was never interested in becoming a wealthy man and only wanted to elevate the national film industry.
Siapa Kata P. Ramlee Hidup ‘Merempat’?
The headlines screamed “Siapa kata P.Ramlee hidup ‘merempat’?” (Who says P. Ramlee lived in dire poverty?)
P. Ramlee’s own son Sazali said his late dad had never in dire poverty.
Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s niece Rozita Rohaizad (daughter to Mariani, sister of Saloma) refuted reports that P. Ramlee died a pauper.
Rozita Rohaizad said Ramlee lived in a bungalow and had helpers. Saloma was still singing at clubs at the time so it was impossible he a pauper.
P. Ramlee’s niece Melissa Saila (daughter of Mariani Ismail, the older sister of Saloman) also shared the same sentiment.
She refuted those claims that P. Ramlee faced so much hardship that he only ate eggs were untrue.
In fact, Melissa said he just liked to eat eggs.
According to another one of P.Ramlee’s close friend, composer Dato Ahmad Nawab, the allegations of P. Ramlee was mirged in financial woes is not true.
At the time of P. Ramlee’s demise, Saloma had an insurance policy worth RM 100,000.
Who Said P Ramlee Died A Pauper?
A renowned Singaporean Malay lyricist Mohd Noor Mohd Yusofe aka Yusnor Ef defended that P. Ramlee was never a pauper as reported.
I remember watching it on TV3 Majalah Tiga many years back.
On October 31, 2010, the History Channel released a documentary titled Biography: P Ramlee.
The most startling revelation about P. Ramlee was a destitute in his later life was by his regular co-star, the late Aziz Satar way back in 2010.
P. Ramlee Eats Rice With Egg For Main Meals
In an interview, holding back his tears Aziz Satar revealed that “all he (P. Ramlee) had to eat was rice with egg for main meals”.
The same clip is also found ‘Biography’ of the History Channel Asia which was broadcast on October 31, 2010.
You can view and hear what Aziz Satar said in this 90- minute documentary on P. Ramlee life over here.
The part when Aziz Satar revealed P. Ramlee had to eat rice with egg is at 1:15:35.
P. Ramlee Made Table Money From Mahjong Games
All this time Malaysians have heard stories of P. Ramlee loved to play mahjong and even once operated a mahjong stall.
In the same documentary, besides Aziz’s remarks, even Datuk Lakshmana Krishnan clearly revealed that P. Ramlee even set up mahjong shop, to earn the so-called table money from the rental of Mahjong tables. (1:09:52-1.10:10)
It is just like what some Chinese coffee-shop owners who are still doing it in some small towns in Malaysia.
P. Ramlee And Kisah Mahjong Song
By the way, Datuk L. Krishnan was the Indian director who gave P. Ramlee his first lead role in a movie, titled “Bakti”.
Then there is another shameful exposé being leaked by P. Ramlee’s very own childhood friend Sukardi Suradi.
Sukardi disclosed once when he encountered the late Malay superstar at the mahjong stall.
At that time Suradi was properly dressed up for a meeting, so he avoided sitting next to P. Ramlee.
By hiding his embarrassment, P. Ramlee took it on his buddy Suradi by showing his annoyance at him. (1:10:13 – 1:10:40)
Unfortunately that was how Malaysian superstar P. Ramlee once lived on the meagre earnings from the rental of mahjong tables.
This Malay superstar icon must have loved mahjong so much, that he even wrote a song titled “Kisah Mahjong“.
This catchy tune was featured in the 1965 film “Dajal Shuci” directed by Dhiresh Ghosh.
Watch and listen P. Ramlee sings the song “Kisah Mahjong” in the movie “Dajal Shuci” from 49.07.
Songbird Saloma Dan P. Ramlee
The late Ramli Ismail aka Ramlee Kechik, his personal assistance confessed that P. Ramlee died broke, including his widow actress and singer Saloma. (1:23:49-1:24:01)
Yes, the popular Saloma who was once known as the ‘Marilyn Monroe of the Asia’.
She was unable to pay for her husband funeral.
It was Tan Sri Habib Mohamme Shah, owner of the iconic Shah’s Village Hotel in Petaling Jaya, who gave her RM3000.
After Aziz Satar, Datuk L. Krishnan, Ramlee Kechik and Sukardi Suradi’s shocking claims, it did not draw flak from anyone.
Not P. Ramlee’s family members, his colleagues, his fervent fans or any of the Malay artistes.
No one clamored over Aziz Satar or Datuk L. Krishnan for insulting the late legendary silver screen star Tan Sri P. Ramlee.
It did not anger the Malay industry peers, or drive his fans to come out with lengthy Facebook posting like Afdlin Shauki Aksan.
According to some Malay film directors and producers, the main reason he died poor was because he and his friends then were not aware of their intellectual property rights.
In addition, they were exploited by the big studios.
Some blamed P. Ramlee’s downfall was caused by two companies: Shaw Brothers and EMI Malaysia.
Artist P. RAMLEE: The Government Has Not Paid RM3 Million In Royalty?
In the midst of researching material for this write-up, I came across Mokhtar Petah blog.
In one of his posts dated January 5, 2009, titled “SENIMAN P. RAMLEE KERAJAAN BELUM BAYAR ROYALTI RM3 JUTA?”
I also came across an online article about the shady side of Seniman Agung, Allahyarham Tan Sri P. Ramlee which said to be taken from an old Malay entertainment magazine called “Gelanggang Film” (Film Arena).
The writer is by the name of Akhdiat Miharja.
The article is titled “Kisah Sedih P Ramlee 7 Bulan Sebelum Meninggal” (The Sad Tale Of P. Ramlee 7 Months Before His Passing)
I banyak dosa, I derita, I harap I sempat taubat sebelum I mati…
Saya berdosa kepada Allah, tapi apa boleh buat, dah terlanjur jadi orang wayang. Hidup penuh glamor. I harap I sempat taubat
Kalau ikut rasa nak tinggalkan dunia filem ni, tapi kerana nak cari makan, I terpaksa teruskan juga.
From the article, the writer is a close friend of P. Ramlee.
READ ALSO:
“Aku Tak Minum Arak Lagi, Aku Minum Teh Cina.”
While researching about this writer Akhdiat Miharja, I found another of his articles for “Catatan Wartawan” (Journalist Jottings).
What he wrote was another equally, if not more controversial article of the repentance of a late Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah (33rd. Sultan Perak).
It was written in Bahasa Melayu (Malay language), and here are two sources for those who want to know more: source 1, source 2
Some say the late Malay artiste P Ramlee died poor, but then he has enriched the lives of others.
Whatever it is…
Malaysian screen legend Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s body rests at a Muslim cemetery on Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur.
But his legacy lives on, so is the controversial stories of his later life.
Incidentally, here is a 1952 movie titled “Miskin” (The Poor) starring P. Ramlee.
Here is a write-up about Penang’s most famous son P. Ramlee by Wong Chun Wai.
READ ALSO: The two banned P. Ramlee movies on Malaysian TV.
Don’t Let Me Die Like P. Ramlee, Saloma – Surdirman
Read what Sudirman Arshad’s former manager, Daniel Dharanee revealed about another Malaysia Malay superstar.