Popular 1990s singer Sheqal passes away at 60

The Star

19-06-2025

Sheqal succumbed to bacterial infection and complications from fluid in the lungs at Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital in Seremban on June 17. Photo: Bernama
Popular 1990s singer Sheqal, whose real name was Shaharim Sallehudin, had yearned to return and settle down in his hometown of Kampung Tanjung Putus in Raub, Pahang. However, that dream was left unfulfilled following his passing on June 17.
His wife, Normah Mohd Yussof, 58, said the late singer, who had been wheelchair-bound after suffering four strokes since 2020, was admitted to hospital on June 5 and placed in an induced coma the following day.
"I didn't expect his passing to happen so suddenly. As his wife, I had hoped he would recover and return to the family in good health. However, he passed away very peacefully, without any pain at all. I was by his side in his final moments.
"My family and I accept Allah's will. The pain he endured since 2020 is now gone. During that period, he was active and able to take care of himself independently. Before he passed, there were no signs of decline. He only said he was short of breath,' she told reporters when met at Masjid Tuanku Ja'afar on June 17.
Sheqal, 60, succumbed to bacterial infection and complications from fluid in the lungs at Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital in Seremban, at 12.31pm. His final rites were carried out at Masjid Tuanku Ja'afar and his remains were buried in his hometown in the evening.
The singer, best known for the hit song Cinta Nusantara , had previously expressed his wish to return to his hometown after spending more than 40 years away, and to continue creating art.
When asked about his personality, Normah described him as kind-hearted and always positive with their children.
"Recently, his mother came to visit him. At the time, he was still in an induced coma, but we could see that he was trying hard to wake up and even responded slightly,' she added.
Meanwhile, renowned singer Datuk Nashrudin Elias, better known as Nash, described Sheqal as a multi-talented artiste who pioneered Nusantara and contemporary music, while also having a knack for painting.
Nash, who had known Sheqal for over 40 years, said he was not only talented but also possessed admirable character and a distinct artistic identity.
"His passing is a great loss to the country's creative industry. I have known him from the time he worked as a leather shoe and bag tailor at Kompleks Pertama in Kuala Lumpur. I was also impressed by his abstract artwork and anyone who still has one of his paintings is truly lucky.
"We've lost an extraordinary artiste. I once performed with him, and to me, his performances were always creative and distinctive, with his own melodious vocal style,' he said. – Bernama