REMEMBERING HUZZ, WHOSE PEN ILLUMINATED THE SOUL OF MALAYSIAN ENTERTAINMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 (Bernama) -- The local entertainment scene has lost one of its favourite sons today with the death of Kamal Huzaini Kamaludin, more popularly known as Huzz to fellow writers and readers alike, at age 58.

The well-known entertainment writer breathed his last at 6.10 pm after battling stage four cancer since March this year.

Many local journalists and writers, along with artistes and celebrities, were saddened to hear news of his passing shared by his sister, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chief Executive Officer (CEO)Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin.

The writer who Malaysians would later know as Huzz began his career as a journalist in the 1980s with Harian Nasional before becoming editor of entertainment magazine URTV at Utusan Karya Sdn Bhd in the early 1990s.

Huzz was also part of Kumpulan Karangkraf’s Media Hiburan magazine editorial team before moving to Utusan Malaysia, and had teamed up with Juwie, another popular entertainment writer of his generation at Mangga magazine published by Utusan Karya Sdn Bhd.

At the peak of his career in the 1990s, Huzz was known for his friendly and sunny disposition, and his professionalism in carrying out his work was matched with the warmth that he displayed towards his co-workers and artistes alike.

He never hesitated in sharing his views on the local entertainment industry, and his criticism and opinions were said to be very significant, as he wrote about the careers of many illustrious Malaysian artistes, including Sharifah Aini, Ramlah Ram and Malaysia’s number one singer Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza.

Huzz was also the first journalist to break the news about Siti Nurhaliza’s romance with Datuk Seri Khalid Mohd Jiwa in 2006, a revelation that took the country by surprise. In his writings, he coined the pseudonym ‘Datuk K’, which captured the imagination of readers to the extent that it became a phenomenon that remains in the minds of Malaysians to this day.

Huzz’s brilliance was not limited to articles, as he also excelled in composing lyrics, most notably that of ‘Keangkuhanmu’, sung by Ramlah Ram.

Malaysian Entertainment Journalists' and Writers' Association (WHAM) Datuk Tengku Khalidah Tengku Bidin fondly described Huzz as a trendsetter, who at the height of his career, left a significant impact on the local entertainment industry. 

She recollected how their friendship began in the 1990s, and pointed out how he was the last man standing in Utusan Melayu Berhad in its twilight years till its closure in 2019.

“Even though he was an entertainment writer, his role in Malaysian journalism was a large one as he was a trendsetter in the industry. If he wanted a story, he would leave no stone unturned… that was the kind of man he was.

“Stories he wrote had such impact on society, especially individuals in the arts industry,” she told Bernama, as she recounted how Huzz’s piece about an artiste’s pending divorce led to the artiste not going through with it.

A close friend of Huzz, veteran actress Datuk Fauziah Ahmad Daud, said that he was a kind soul who loved helping celebrities and was a trusted confidant.

“He was someone who knew how to keep secrets safe. If he had wanted to write something bad about artistes, he definitely could but he wasn’t such a person. Huzz greatly supported many fellow artistes and wasn’t someone who loved to brag when helping others,” Fauziah, who is popularly known as Ogy, said.

Malaysian superstar Siti Nurhaliza, who knew Huzz even during her early days as an artiste after winning the Bintang HMI in 1995, had fond memories of the writer, sharing that she and her husband managed to visit him in hospital and reminisce about their shared past when they were artiste and writer.

“When we visited him, we managed to tell him that Yayasan Nurjiwa would conduct the hajj by proxy (hajj al-badal) for him. Do pray that we will be able to complete the hajj al-badal on his behalf,” she posted on Instagram.

His death has undoubtedly left a void in the local entertainment industry, among friends, artistes and readers alike, but while his presence will be sorely missed, Huzz will continue to be fondly remembered by all.

-- BERNAMA