(From left) Sister Theresa, Inderjit, DJ Dave, Teoh, Cheah, Krishnan, Loh and Zuzaidee.
DJ Dave is a household name harking back to the 1980s and ’90s, and he believes his popularity stems from his songs that are centred around unity.
He said he achieved popularity in the country because he promoted national unity since his early days in the ’70s.
“I have always talked about love, friendship and unity, and I have 43 albums centred around these themes.
“A united nation is a strong nation that results in stability.
“We must always stay united to grow stronger,” said the veteran singer whose full name is Datuk Irwan Shah Abdullah.
The music legend was honoured with the Special Award for Unity by Rotary Club of Ara Damansara (RCAD), which he received at an event in January.
DJ Dave has now announced his decision to donate the RM10,000 prize money to five different places of worship.
The recipients are Surau An-Nur in Bandar Menjalara; Canossa Convent Welfare Centre in Jinjang Utara; and Choong Wan Koong Temple, all in Kuala Lumpur, as well as Persatuan Pengurusan Kuil Subramania Swami in Shah Alam and Gurdwara Sahib Selayang, in Selangor.
Emphasising his commitment to promote unity among diverse religious communities, he said, “The places of worship were selected because I want to instil respect among all religions in the country.
“Everyone should respect each other and we should not have any differences where religion is concerned.
“We should go on living as a society that is known for its unity.”
DJ Dave said he was happy to see leaders from different organisations representing the five major religions come together in one room to celebrate unity.
RCAD president David Cheah Yik Qin said DJ Dave was selected for the award because of his exceptional song Setia Perpaduan, a patriotic anthem for 2023 that captivated club members.
“The person who created this song rightly deserved the award as it cultivated the spirit of unity,” said Cheah.
“RCAD has made a wise choice in naming him our first and only winner of the Special Award for Unity,” he added.
DJ Dave’s decision to donate the cash prize underscored his commitment to fostering unity, said Cheah.
Each organisation received RM2,000 to support their charitable activities.
The award-winning Setia Perpaduan features a diverse ensemble of 13 artistes singing in various languages and dialects, reflecting Malaysia’s multicultural society.
DJ Dave also emphasised the importance of the national language in fostering unity, saying, “The song was sung in Bahasa Malaysia because it is our national language.
“Our national language should unite us Malaysians.
“It is a common thread that binds us all together, regardless of our diverse backgrounds.”
He added that using Bahasa Malaysia in all of his songs underscored the idea that language could be a powerful tool in bringing people together.
Cheah highlighted the broader impact of the legendary artiste’s actions.
“The winner’s generous and selfless act in contributing his prize money to the five religions fosters a united Malaysia,” Cheah highlighted.
“As a simple Malaysian who cares, I will continue to donate to various charities in the spirit of national unity,” DJ Dave said.
He hopes his actions will inspire others to embrace the muhibbah way of life as true Malaysians and work together towards a united Malaysia, regardless of race or religion.
Also at the award ceremony were sister-in-charge of Canossa Convent Welfare Centre Sister Theresa, Gurdwara Sahib Selayang president Inderjit Singh, Rotary District 3300 governor Teoh Kwan Swee, Persatuan Pengurusan Kuil Subramania Swami chairman Datuk NS Krishnan, Choong Wan Koong Temple president Loh Loo Chong and Surau An-Nur chairman Zuzaidee Md Som.
