No to 90:10 (or 10:90)

Why stifle Democracy on radio? Our artistes, it seems, are always having to fight for their miserable share of the local music pie. Their current complaint is against the Indonesian artistes and local radio stations who appear to be favoring the foreigners by giving them more air time.

The people at Karyawan, who represent the local artistes, are now demanding that these local radio stations air local songs 90 per cent of the time and allow the Indonesians the remaining 10 per cent.

I am of the opinion that the 90:10 demand is ridiculous.

Don't stifle radio democracy (read Engku Emran - Part 1 and Part 2). I will listen to a radio station that knows how to give my ears a break. If a radio station airs Indonesian songs 90 per cent of the time, not even the Indonesians who live here would be happy to tune in to it. If it plays local songs 90 per cent of the time, I'm not going to listen to it.

p.s. I grew up on D'lloyds and Broery because they were damn good. Malaysians could not make the kind of music they were making.

But the Indonesians could not come near Ramli Sarip* even though Kamelia is Ebiet G. Ade's song. And Carefree, Alleycats, M. Nasir**, Headwind, Wings, Search, and Karyawan boss Freddie Fernandez's Revolvers -- we remember them and we listen to them because they make/made excellent music, not because the radio stations played their songs all the time.

By the way, I listen to Radja and Samsons, too. Most of the lady singers, Malaysian or Indonesian, sound the same (but not in a bad way). The ones I can tell immediately are Sheila Majid, Ella and Ning.

* and ** Ramli and M Nasir were made in Singapore, by the way.