Musicians need a sustainable livelihood, not just handouts, says MFM president Francis Danker, who wants hotels and resorts to open their stages to local performers and give them a steady platform to work, earn and preserve Malaysia’s musical heritage.
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — Malaysian musicians need more than occasional financial assistance when they fall sick or into hardship — they need a sustainable platform that allows them to earn a living, build savings and grow old with dignity, says Musicians for Musicians (MfM) president Francis Danker.
Danker said the music fraternity had reached a point where musicians, particularly veterans and younger players entering the industry, were struggling to find regular places to perform, with many also facing delayed or non-payment for their work.
“We don’t get any help from the government. We just got to help ourselves,” he said at a press conference here today to announce MfM’s fourth annual benefit concert, “Rocking for a Cause”, which will be held on Oct 10 at Dewan Tunku, Kelab Golf Negara Subang (KGNS), Petaling Jaya.
But Danker stressed that the association’s role should not be confined to helping musicians who were already in crisis.
“We have to think of the future. We have to think of the younger people that are coming up. We cannot leave them alone,” he said.
He proposed that the Government, tourism industry and hotels work with the music fraternity to establish dedicated entertainment spaces featuring Malaysian musicians, particularly in five-star hotels and resorts.
His vision is to see modern musicians performing alongside traditional musicians, creating a distinctly Malaysian sound for both domestic audiences and international tourists.
“Why can’t we play with a sape and combine it with the rebana? Put them together and create something different,” he said.
“Every resort must have a lounge — not a bunch of Filipinos, but really local musicians. Spreading our culture.”
Danker said Malaysia already had a rich musical heritage and a wealth of traditional instruments and songs which could be reinvented for contemporary audiences.
“We have so many of our old tunes from P. Ramlee’s time until here, which we can redo and modernise. And that’s what the tourists want to see,” he said.
“They want to taste our culture, they want to eat our food, they want to see our handicraft, and they want to hear our music.”
He suggested that traditional instruments such as the sape, gambus, sitar and rebana could be combined with modern equipment and contemporary arrangements.
“Who says you cannot play ‘Hotel California’ on a sape? Show them!” he said, drawing laughter and applause from those present.
For Danker, creating regular employment is also about giving musicians a future beyond performing from one gig to another.
Everybody May Want To Be A Musician
“If all the hotels take us in and give us work, can you imagine? Everybody may want to be a musician, everybody wants to work, everybody wants to form their own kind of fusion band,” he said.
Such a platform, he added, could also provide musicians with more stable employment benefits such as EPF contributions, giving them some financial security when they grow older.
Danker, who recalled starting out in music because he had not passed his Standard Six examination, said the situation facing musicians today was markedly different from the 1970s.
“During my time, we had Filipino bands, Indonesian bands, Singapore bands. We had bands from Jamaica. And we were always working,” he said.
“You know why? Because we had more clubs than bands. Today, they are all gone. There are no more clubs.”
He said the disappearance of entertainment venues had left many talented musicians without a dependable place to work.
“It’s tough out there. These musicians are all talented people,” he said, adding that the association regularly received complaints from musicians who had performed at venues but were still waiting weeks to be paid.
“These people are working on a day-to-day basis. They need that small income. And that also they don’t get paid.”
From Helping the Old to Building A Future for the Young
MfM honorary secretary Latifah Abdullah said the association currently has more than 800 registered members, ranging from 18 to musicians in their 80s, with about 300 to 400 considered active members.
She said one of MfM’s key objectives was to make younger musicians more aware of the association and what it could offer them.
“We want them to know that we exist. We exist. We need to be recognised,” she said.
Latifah said younger musicians also brought different perspectives and ideas to the fraternity, making their participation important to the association’s future.
“We need more younger generation to come in because their perception, their ideology, everything is different,” she said.
Deputy president Edwin Nathaniel said the benefit concert was also intended to bring together different generations of musicians while recognising those who had devoted decades to the Malaysian music industry.
This year, MfM will honour 20 musicians who have spent between 40 and 50 years in the industry and are still active, with the identities to be revealed during the concert itself.
Among the performers lined up are Electric Orgasm, marking its 50-year reunion, Dato’ Francissca Peter, Goblokes, Heavy Machine, Dato’ Leonard Tan, Lighthouse featuring Vinay David, Royston Sta Maria, Os Pombos, The Polymaths featuring Raja Singham and The Studio 10 Experience.
The concert will also feature tributes to legendary musicians and bands that helped shape Malaysia’s music scene.
Nathaniel said Heavy Machine would be among those receiving a special tribute, particularly to saxophonist Oly, who is unwell. His daughter is expected to perform with the band in his place.
Mulanya Di Sini
A tribute will also be paid to musicians who have passed on, including Seha and Gani, with Royston Sta Maria expected to perform “Mulanya Di Sini” as part of the tribute.
Royston, who is travelling from Australia for the event, said he was pleased to be part of a concert that uses music to support fellow musicians facing difficult circumstances.
“I think it’s a wonderful concert where musicians come together to use their talents to raise money to help their fellow musicians who have fallen on hard times or are unable to work due to their health situation.”
He also urged the media and public to support the event.
“I hope the press will give this show their full support and the public will also get their tickets soon to make this night a success and an unforgettable experience,” he said.
Target of RM100,000
Nathaniel said MfM is hoping to raise RM100,000 from this year’s benefit concert.
The association has received support from several sponsors, including Weststar, which has backed the event for several years, while KJ&S and Memories are among those providing sponsorship and support for the production, sound and lighting.
The money raised will go towards supporting musicians in need, while MfM also hopes to channel part of its resources towards developing the music industry.
“This is our goal, to raise that amount of money, but it all depends on the turnout and the last-minute corporate sponsors,” Nathaniel said.
He described MfM as a zero-based NGO, with the committee members themselves volunteering their time.
Danker said this spirit was at the heart of the association.
A Committee of Musicians
“Everyone in the committee are all musicians — still playing, retired — everybody is just doing it for nothing. Just to see who we can help.”
He said MfM had already assisted musicians facing illness and hardship, including helping families when musicians died with little or no financial resources.
But he insisted that the fraternity could not simply continue responding to crises after they occurred.
“We need to give these musicians a lifeline. We need to give them a place where they can depend on,” he said.
“We want to do this for the younger people. Set a platform for them.”
And that, perhaps, is the deeper message behind Rocking for a Cause: not merely to raise money for musicians who have fallen on hard times, but to remind Malaysians that the people who created, performed and preserved the country’s musical soundtrack also need a place in its future.
“We cannot let the young musicians think this persatuan is only for old people, old musicians,” Danker said.
“We need to do this. We have no choice.” – NMH
Event details
MfM Benefit Showcase 2026 – Rocking for a Cause
📅 Saturday, Oct 10, 2026
⏰ 4pm onwards
📍 Dewan Tunku, Kelab Golf Negara Subang (KGNS), Petaling Jaya
Tickets include MFM member tickets at RM85, while general admission is RM105 per person, inclusive of a complimentary drink. Table packages are also available, including Standard (RM1,050 for 10 pax), Golden Hearts (RM3,000) and Diamond Hearts (RM5,000).
Datin Hasnah is the co-founder and CEO of New Malaysia Herald based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
With an extensive background in mass communication and journalism, she works on building up New Malaysia Herald and it’s partner sites. A tireless and passionate evangalist, she champions autism studies and support groups.
Datin Hasnah is also the Editor in Chief of New Malaysia Herald.
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