Saloma

Acting · 1935–1983 · Singapore, Straits Settlements (now Singapore)

Biduanita Negara Puan Sri Datin Amar Salmah Ismail or better known as Saloma (22 January 1935 – 25 April 1983) was a Malay Singaporean-Malaysian singer, film actress, trendsetter and a fashion icon of Banjar and Bawean descent who became well known in the late 1950s until the early 1980's of Malay Cinema. Born on Pasir Panjang, Singapura, she is the sister to the actress Mariam Ismail who was also known as Mariani. She was nicknamed as the "Marilyn Monroe of The East".

Full biography

Saloma was well known for her vocal ability in singing, which was depicted as "lemak merdu", (a full, rather thick but sweet voice). She was signed with EMI music records and since then has released numerous EP's such as Dendang Saloma (1957), Bunga Negara (1963) and Aslirama (1972). Some of her most popular songs throughout her career including ‘Selamat Pengantin Baru’ and ‘Bila Larut Malam.

Saloma also ventures in acting careers when she acts in several films such as Azimat (1958) and Kaki Kuda (1958). Some of her most memorable works as an actress was in Seniman Bujang Lapok (1961) as Cik Salmah, Ragam P. Ramlee (1964) and Ahmad Albab (1968) as Mastura. Saloma was awarded the title Biduana Pertama Negara (First National Songbird) in 1978 for her contribution towards the music industry in Malaysia and the title Puan Sri in 1990, as the wife of Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee.

After the death of her husband, P. Ramlee, in 1973, Saloma was overwhelmed with grief and depression that took a toll on her health. It led her to suffer from a number of illnesses which caused her to look thin and sickly. She was admitted to Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya, Selangor before her death on 25 April 1983 at the age of 48 caused by liver failure associated with jaundice. She was buried at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur between the graves of her ex-husband Aman Ramlie and husband P. Ramlee.