Rais presents RM15,000 donation to ailing composer Ooi

Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim visited the home of Datuk Ooi Eow Jin to present the ailing composer-songwriter with a donation of RM15,000.

The founder and chairman of Yayasan Budi was there with Karyawan president Datuk Freddie Fernandez.

“Datuk Ooi is an institution in the music industry. RTM, especially, owes him a lot for his contribution during the 1960s and 1970s,” said Rais.

“When Karyawan and Yayasan Budi learned of his plight, we created a fund for him.

“Today, we are presenting him with RM15,000 for his essential and medical needs, as well as to care for his son who is also having health issues.”

Ooi, 82, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015 and is currently looked after by his wife Khaw Lean Kee and a caregiver.

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible condition where a person’s memory and thinking skills will gradually decline to the point where he is unable to carry out even the simplest tasks.

Their 56-year-old son, Raymond, suffers from a brain tumour and is in need of an operation that costs RM65,000.

“The doctor will schedule the surgery as soon as we have the fund. The surgery is to remove the tumour which is pressing on his nerves, which already cost him to lose his sight in one eye,” Khaw said.

“Besides removing the tumour, the doctor is hoping to save his remaining eye.”

Ooi, who got his break in the local music industry as a pianist in the RTM Orchestra in the 1960s, has written songs for the late Datuk Sudirman Arshad, Rahimah Rahim and Alleycats.

“What I have observed is, when (Ooi) was at his peak, a lot of local singers used his songs to achieve success themselves,” Rais said.

“But now that he has health issues and is no longer at his peak, the world seems to have forgotten him.

“This shouldn’t happen. As a caring society, we must continue to be considerate, especially to those who have contributed greatly in their respective fields.”