The Strollers, Blues Gang masuk Malaysia Book of Records

Kumpulan pemuzik legenda yang terkenal pada era 1960-an dan 70-an, The Strollers disenaraikan sebagai 'First Malaysian Pop Band' dalam Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR).

Turut menerima pengiktirafan adalah kumpulan popular era 80-an, Blues Gang yang dicatatkan sebagai 'Oldest Blues Band' dalam MBOR.

Sijil pencapaian tersebut disampaikan wakil MBOR kepada anggota kedua-dua kumpulan itu selepas selesai konsert Return of The Legends di Istana Budaya (IB), di sini malam tadi.

Penganjur konsert, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Nasser Ismail berkata pengiktirafan itu diberikan berdasarkan kelayakan kedua-dua kumpulan muzik 'otai' negara yang pernah menjadi perintis genre muzik di Malaysia dan masih aktif sehingga kini.

"The Strollers sudah mula mencipta nama dalam arena muzik sejak 1965 dan sampai sekarang masih lagi aktif membuat persembahan manakala Blues Gang pula adalah legenda Blues tempatan sejak 1973 yang kini masih tiada penggantinya," katanya kepada pemberita selepas konsert itu.

Konsert itu menyaksikan tiga kumpulan legenda iaitu The Strollers, Blues Gang dan Lord and The Boys mempamerkan persembahan mantap dan dinamik walaupun sebahagian besar anggota kumpulan telah berusia.

Persembahan sempena sambutan Hari Malaysia itu mengundang kembali nostalgia penonton yang pernah membesar dengan lagu-lagu hit mereka antaranya Silly Joke, Just As I Am, Midday Sun, Apo Nak Di Kato, Mama Saya Mahu Kahwin, Khatulistiwa dan Dua Insan Bercinta.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pengarah IB, Datuk Mohamed Juhari Shaarani berkata Return of The Legends bakal dijadikan jenama baharu di IB bagi menaikkan kembali nama penggiat muzik yang pernah mencipta populariti suatu ketika dahulu.

"Selepas IB menjalani proses pengubahsuaian selama enam bulan nanti, kami berhasrat memberi peluang kepada kumpulan-kumpulan legenda lain beraksi di pentas seperti tiga kumpulan yang kita lihat malam ini," katanya.

Consider This: Transnational Repression (Part 2) — Are Our Governments Enabling It?

Authoritarian regimes don’t stop at their own borders—often reaching across countries to track, detain, and deport refugees, activists, and migrants. This is transnational repression: when a state extends its repression beyond its own beyond their borders to control or punish its citizens abroad. Malaysia and Thailand, two of Southeast Asia’s biggest hubs for migrants and refugees, have become key battlegrounds for transnational repression. With Malaysia helming ASEAN chair this year, what role does the region play in resisting, or enabling, transnational repression? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Krittaporn Semsantad, Programme Director at the Bangkok-based Peace Rights Foundation.

Consider This: Transnational Repression (Part 1) — Are Our Governments Enabling It?

Authoritarian regimes don’t stop at their own borders—often reaching across countries to track, detain, and deport refugees, activists, and migrants. This is transnational repression: when a state extends its repression beyond its own beyond their borders to control or punish its citizens abroad. Malaysia and Thailand, two of Southeast Asia’s biggest hubs for migrants and refugees, have become key battlegrounds for transnational repression. With Malaysia helming ASEAN chair this year, what role does the region play in resisting, or enabling, transnational repression? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Douglas Teoh, spokesperson from the End Transnational Repression Alliance.