MUSICIANS and artistes must not be taken for granted — they should be paid what is due to them, and seeking justice through legal action is their basic right.
Veteran singer Datuk Zainal Abidin Mohamed is sending this message loud and clear to the organisers of the Sea Games closing ceremony, and has given them until today to pay him and his fellow artistes for their performances at the event on Aug 30.
“I’ve appointed a legal firm to begin legal action for the recovery of the amounts due to me and my fellow artistes. Our lawyers have advised that the claim be filed on behalf of myself and the other artistes who may also wish to pursue legal action.
“I regret that it has come to this — the amount of money is not large, the real issue is that it is a matter of principle, that musicians and artistes should be given their due payment for services rendered,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Besides Zainal, other celebrities who performed at the closing ceremony included Ella, Amy Search, Datuk Sheila Majid and Datuk David Arumugam of the Alleycats.
Zainal revealed that about 20 artistes were with him in the lawsuit against the company, but declined to reveal them.
Persatuan Seniman Malaysia president Zed Zaidi said the artistes’ association had contacted the Youth and Sports Ministry about the non-payment of artistes at the closing ceremony, and expressed hope that they would receive payment soon.
“As artistes, we must be remunerated for our services, and it’s regrettable that so many talents weren’t paid for their hard work. Seniman calls on the government to help resolve this, so that they are paid what’s due to them,” he said.
The Malaysian Organising Committee for the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games (Masoc) said in a statement on Tuesday it had made 70 per cent of the payments to the companies contracted to organise the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sea Games and Asean Para Games last August and September.
Masoc chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong said they wanted to expedite the settlement of all payments to the parties involved, and were working with the Finance Ministry to expedite the payment process before the end of this month.