WWF’s Song ‘Senyum Penyu, Senyum Kita’ Celebrates Malaysia’s Turtle Heritage
Singer Asmidar in the studio for the recording of 'Senyum Penyu, Senyum Kita'
The upbeat composition celebrating the magnificent mariners was produced by multi-artist and musician, Kamrul Hussin @ Waklong and composed and arranged by Ijan Perkusi with lyrics penned by Arina Amin. Warner Music Malaysia’s singer-songwriter, Asmidar, lends her trademark silky vocals to the song that aims to get everyone to groove while taking a stand for turtles.
To bring the message of turtle conservation closer to home, the song features traditional musical instruments from each of WWF-Malaysia’s turtle project sites including the Rodat (Terengganu) and Kulintangan (Sabah) with its rap section influenced by Dondang Sayang (Melaka) rhythms.
Taking listeners along on a turtle’s journey, it is hoped that the song will induce sing-alongs which will, in turn, encourage not only the local communities, but also the Malaysian public to take pride in valuing and protecting these endangered creatures.
Malaysia is home to four out of the seven marine turtles in the world, and their status ranges from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Over the last 20 years, there has been a 99% decline of Leatherbacks, 95% decline of Olive Ridleys and more than 60% decline in the population of Green Turtles.
There are only two remaining nesting population of hawksbills of significant size in Malaysia; in the Sabah Turtle Islands and Melaka, with approximately 400-600 nestings annually in each state. Hawksbill populations in Terengganu, Johor and other states have declined by more than 60%, and currently remnant numbers remain.
Happy World Turtle Day, everyone!
*Like what you heard? Check out the artists featured in this Turtle-tastic song:
Kamrul Hussin: http://www.kamrulhussin.com
Asmidar: https://www.facebook.com/asmidar.10?fref=ts
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About WWF-Malaysia
WWF-Malaysia (World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia), the national conservation trust, currently runs more than 90 projects covering a diverse range of environmental protection work. Since 1972, WWF-Malaysia has worked on important conservation projects, from saving endangered species such as tigers and turtles, to protecting our highland forests, rivers and seas. We also undertake environmental education and advocacy work to achieve conservation goals. By conserving our natural resources, WWF-Malaysia is helping to protect our livelihoods, food and water supply, thus securing our good quality of life and our children’s bright future. We thank our supporters and members of the Media, whose contributions and support enable our conservation work. If you would like to donate to WWF-Malaysia or learn more about our projects, please call: +603-78033772 or visit: wwf.org.my or www.facebook.com/wwfmy
WWF’s mission
WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by:
• Conserving the world’s biological diversity
• Ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable
• Promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful production
For more information, please contact:
Nadiah Rosli, Peninsular Malaysia Seas Communications Officer, WWF-Malaysia
Tel: +603-78033772 ext 6433, E-mail: nrosli@wwf.org.my
Yeoh Lin Lin, Head of Communications, WWF-Malaysia
Tel: +603-78033772 Email: llyeoh@wwf.org.my
Singer Asmidar in the studio for the recording of 'Senyum Penyu, Senyum Kita'
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WWF-Malaysia staff and composer Kamrul, discussing the lyrics for the turtle song, 'Senyum Penyu, Senyum Kita'.
Multi-instrumentalist Kamrul Hussin featured a variety of traditional musical instruments in the song such as the gamelan.
