Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim today announced the setting up of a panel to probe allegations that this year's National Day 'Janji Ditepati' song was plagiarised from an Indonesian gospel hymn.
"A special panel has been formed to determine whether it is true or not that the Merdeka 'Janji Ditepati' song was a copycat.
"The opposition should not simply accuse," he said in a Twitter posting this morning.
The Twitter posting came despite Rais' vehement denial that the song's melody was plagiarised, according to a New Straits Times report today.
"We unconditionally refute the blogger's allegation and will seek legal redress if he fails to substantiate what he alleged," Rais is quoted as saying by the daily.
According to New Straits Times , an Indonesian-based blogger had in a posting on Monday alleged that the composer of the ' Janji Ditepati' (Promises Fulfilled) song had plagiarised the melody from a gospel song by Jakarta-based Christian band True Worshippers entitled 'Serukan Namanya' (Call Out His Name).
Rais, who wrote the lyrics for the National Day song, in the report also took a swipe at the opposition for attempting to capitalise on the allegation.
“They (the opposition) appear to be engaging in a rushed cheap ploy via the allegation,” he is quoted as saying.
Yesterday, composer Jasnie Mohd Yaakub had denied the allegation and stressed that the 'Janji Ditepati’ song was an original work by him, along with two other composers Arman E Six and Aye.
“The inspiration of the song came all of a sudden, (we) did not follow any songs,” he had said.
The two songs
Janji Ditepati l 3.36 mins
Serukan Namanya l 5.15 mins