Puan Sri Dr Rohana Zubir took 22 years of planning and another three years of writing before her book was published. …
The daughter of Singapore's national anthem composer Zubir Said said the process of writing her father's biography was like being pregnant.
In her case, it took 22 years of family planning and another three years of gestation before finally "giving birth".
The book titled "Zubir Said: The Composer of Majulah Singapura", was finally launched on Monday at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) -- the research organisation that published the book.
Speaking to the media at the book launch, Puan Sri Dr Rohana Zubir said that despite being composed in the 1950s, the national anthem remains relevant today as it and other patriotic songs are the "cloak of society" which helps to "bring people together in unity".
The author also said that "Majulah Singapura" was Zubir Said's "personal prayer" for Singapore -- it contained his "aspirations for the future of Singapore" and the realization of that prayer means a lot to him.
Before officially launching the book, Professor Wang Gungwu, chairman of the ISEAS board of trustees, said that the borderless appeal of Zubir Said's music was a reminder that Asia should not be "too obsessed" with questions of nationality and borders, and instead work towards regionalism, which can make a "great difference to our region".
