“Tekad Perpaduan Penuhi Harapan, (Determination in Unity Fulfilling Hope)
Cintai Malaysia, (Love Malaysia)
Demi Malaysia, (For the Sake of Malaysia)
Laungkan Bersama, (Sing Together)
Cintai Malaysia, (Love Malaysia)
Walau Berbeza Warna, (Although of Different Colours)
Kita Semua Sama, (We Are All The Same)
Bersatu Kita Takkan Goyah, (United We Will Not Falter)
Negaraku Madani, (My Country Madani)
Perpaduan Di Hati, (Unity in the Heart)
Selamanya Ku Malaysia, (Forever Malaysia)”.
Every verse of the lyrics in the song ‘Tekad Perpaduan Penuhi Harapan’, the theme song for this year’s National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, touches the heart of anyone who listens to it as it is about the beloved homeland.
The lyrics of the song, sung by popular singers Aina Abdul and Khai Bahar, translate the feelings and expressions of the multiracial Malaysian community, living in harmony and sharing their love for the country.
The composer and lyricist of the song, Muhd Affan Mazlan, 23, better known as Affan Mazlan, opines that the main key to the song ‘Tekad Perpaduan Penuhi Harapan’ is that it is listener-friendly, cheerful and, most importantly, able to exult patriotic spirit in the community.
“I like the phrase ‘Cintai Malaysia’ the most because even though the sentence is simple, it carries a very deep meaning. The phrase is the ‘hook’ to the whole song.
“In terms of the musical arrangement, it is carefully composed to facilitate the pronunciation of the phrase ‘Tekad Perpaduan Penuh Harapan’ when they are sung since it is a long phrase.
“My biggest challenge is those words (Tekad Perpaduan Penuh Harapan) since the phrase is the theme of the 66th National Day and not usually used in a song… but Alhamdulillah, thanks to the help of everyone involved, I managed to do it,” he told Bernama.
Even more special about the song is that it was given an orchestral touch by an experienced music conductor and composer Datuk Mokhzani Ismail, with the background vocals provided by Gemersik Korus.
Affan Mazlan, who has been interested in music since he was a child, said his song was chosen after competing with 13 other composers, who also sent their demos to Mokhzani for evaluation last June.
“Honestly, I didn’t care if the song get selected or not initially, but when it was selected to be shortlisted as the best six songs, I started to feel excited and thought there was a chance for my song to enter the next stage.
“I then re-composed the song according to the theme given in terms of lyrics and song arrangement as was requested. Alhamdulillah, the hard work pays, and the song was completed within a month,” he added.
Affan Mazlan, from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Composition from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) described the collaboration with Mokhzani as a golden opportunity.
“He is a legend. I am happy to be able to work with an individual who has extensive experience in the field of music not only in terms of theory but also practical.
“I learned many things from him such as music arrangement and song narration,” said Affan Mahzan, who is the youngest of five siblings and has been in the entertainment industry since 2019.
Grateful for the positive response from listeners to the song, Affan Mazlan hoped that the song will be an ‘evergreen’ song like other patriotic songs such as ‘Gemuruh’ and ‘Standing In The Eyes Of The World’.
“Normally, when I composed a themed song, the song will only be played seasonally. That’s why I chose to make a song that is simple and easy listening, a song people will enjoy listening to every day,” said Affan Mahzan, who loves listening to songs by Faizal Tahir.
The song “Tekad Perpaduan Penuhi Harapan can be viewed on Datuk Mokhzani Ismail’s official YouTube channel. – BERNAMA
