KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri P. Ramlee's son Sazali has thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for helping to meet his wife Hamidah Hitam's medical expenses.
Hamidah, 61, is suffering from a spinal ailment which has affected the nerves around her neck.
"From the bottom of my heart I want to thank the prime minister for his concern and compassion. My wife has been suffering from this ailment for some time and needs to undergo surgery as soon as possible," said Sazali in an interview with Harian Metro Online yesterday.
Anwar's political secretary Farhan Fauzi visited Sazali and Hamidah at their home last Friday and handed them the financial contribution from the prime minister.
Anwar confirmed Farhan's visit in a Facebook post on the same day.
Last Wednesday, Sazali, 64, appealed to the public for financial assistance to enable his wife to undergo surgery.
Sazali who is also ailing, depends on royalty payments for his father's songs from Music Authors Copyright Protection (MACP) to survive.
Unfortunately, royalty payments ended this year under the Copyright Act 1987, as P. Ramlee's music entered the public domain 50 years after his death on May 29, 1973.
Sazali had earlier met the late Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub to discuss royalty payments but no decision was reached as Salahuddin died on July 23.