SINGAPORE – Yusnor Ef, a Cultural Medallion recipient and respected figure in Singapore’s Malay music scene, passed away at the age of 87 on April 16.
His daughter, Ms. Noreeta Mohamed Noor, 47, shared with The Straits Times that Yusnor began experiencing breathing difficulties around midnight. He was rushed to Sengkang General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 2 a.m.
Yusnor had been living with chronic heart problems for the past 20 years.
As of now, his body remains at Sengkang General Hospital. Ms. Noreeta confirmed that the family plans to bring him home to their residence at 99 Saraca Terrace. The family will then proceed with prayers at Masjid Sultan before his burial at the Muslim cemetery in Lim Chu Kang.
A prolific lyricist, Yusnor wrote lyrics for over 250 songs, many of which became timeless Malay pop classics from the 1960s and 1970s. He worked with legendary figures like P. Ramlee and Zubir Said, the composer of Majulah Singapura.
In addition to his music career, Yusnor was an author and historian, writing books on Malay music and producing documentaries for Malaysian television stations. He co-founded Perkamus, the Association of Malay Singers, Composers, and Professional Musicians, and served as its president. He also chaired the National Arts Council’s Malay Music Development Committee and was on the board of the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (Compass).
Art Fazil, a home-grown singer and songwriter, described Yusnor as “the quintessential pop lyricist.” Fazil praised Yusnor’s influence, particularly through Perkamus, which provided valuable support to Singapore’s Malay music community by offering music classes and organizing events to promote local talent.
Born Mohamed Noor Mohamed Yusofe, Yusnor was affectionately known as ‘Cikgu’ (Malay for teacher) during his earlier career as a Malay language teacher.
In 2011, he was awarded the Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s highest arts honor. A tribute concert featuring his songs was held at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2013.
In 2022, Yusnor and his longtime collaborator Kassim Masdor received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Compass Awards, recognizing their exceptional contributions to the local music scene. At the same ceremony, their song Aku Dia Dan Lagu won the Top Local Malay Pop Song award, based on the highest royalty earnings of the year.
That same year, Yusnor was honored with the Public Service Star at the National Day Awards and received the Anugerah Jauhari Pencapaian Sepanjang Hayat (Lifetime Achievement Award) at Berita Harian’s Achiever of the Year 2022 Awards.
Fellow Singaporean singer and songwriter Imran Ajmain reflected on Yusnor’s lasting impact, noting that many Malay music enthusiasts recognize songs by icons like P. Ramlee, Ahmad Jais, Sanisah Huri, and Anita Sarawak, without realizing that Yusnor wrote them.
Ajmain, 43, said: “He came from an era where songwriters were acknowledged first, long before the singers. This is a neglected aspect of music today.”
He added, “From him, I learned to prioritize the lyricists and composers in my work, as they are the true soul of music. Musicians and singers are merely the messengers.”
Related Topics
