The rock legend loves his tea, and will be coming up with his own brew, writes Dennis Chua.
TEA has always made his day, and Suhaimi Abdul Rahman a.k.a. Amy of Search will be offering his own brand, named after his tagline Phweet!, by year end.
“Rock fans, be prepared for my special Phweet! Teh Tarik in December. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, since I’m a tea lover at heart,” says Amy.
“From my early days as an aspiring musician, to the established rock singer that I am today, tea has never failed to cheer me up after a hard day’s work.
“It not only fuels my energetic stage presence, but is also a lifestyle which I’ve shared with my bandmates, family and friends.”
The rocker turns 60 on July 28 next year, and wants to mark the new year with a special “thank you” to rock-loving Malaysians of all ages.
“The number 60 is my time to reflect on life and share something memorable with all Malaysians whose support, loyalty and love has made me who I am today.
“I decided to choose teh tarik as my anniversary product because it is a true Malaysian icon of a drink.”
Will he be coming up with more consumer products in future?
“Probably. It all depends on popular demand,” says Amy. “Singing may be my first love, but I also believe in promoting fashion and beverages, consumer products I identify with.”
Amy has his own line of men’s fashion with an Islamic theme. It is marketed under General Products By Amy Search and is promoted at the annual Asia Islamic Fashion Week. The fashion brand is two years old.
Two years ago, he set up the Al Bayan school, a religious school, in Sungai Buloh, Selangor. It initially accommodated 16 students aged 7 to 15.
It was subsequently relocated to a larger site in Denai Alam, Shah Alam last year, and currently houses more than 30 students and six teachers. Besides Islamic studies, the students are also taught subjects such as Arabic, English and Mathematics.
The school also organises art exhibitions, particularly those that showcase Islamic calligraphy or seni khat.
One of these exhibitions titled Cahaya Jiwa by artist Saiful Kadir was held at Istana Budaya in Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur last year.
Amy also has Phweet! Coffee, his own brand of premium white coffee which was launched last year.
“As a businessman, I don’t intend to go far from my first love which is music. If I were to come up with more consumer products, they would always be things that go well with music.
“Fashion and drinks are spot-on. Who knows, I may have a coffee-table book about my band and me with lots of pictures.”