This article or section may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards, as the timeline for subject's career is out of order. His big break came when he entered Johan Bintang RTM, a singing competition organised by public broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia held in Malacca in August 1976, where he swooned the audience with his spontaneous sense of humour and melodious singing. It was during his period of studying law that he managed to juggle time between singing and tutorial classes. He was called to the Bar in 1984 in and commenced practice thereafter, though he left due to lack of interest. He commenced his pupillage in 1982 under Mr Ong Joo Theam of Messrs Abdul Aziz, Ong & Co. After turning down a scholarship to further his studies in medicine, he studied law instead from the University of Malaya in 1976 and received his degree with third class honours four years later together with Malaysia's current and former Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun and Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail. He completed his secondary education in Sultan Abu Bakar School (SABS), Kuantan. His passion for singing and entertainment started at a very young age, as during his childhood he would entertain his family and neighbours as they in turn would happily let him do so and encourage him. Sources revealed that he was given the name of 'Sudirman' after by his father who had hoped that he would grow up to become a brave warrior like Indonesian army general Soedirman, the man he was named after.
Both of his parent had also been involved in the business of fabrics and clothing. His father Arshad was a manager of a local bus company in Sudirman's family hometown, whereas his mother Romlah who used to work as a seamstress and was also the first woman to become a Malaysian state assemblywoman in Pahang during the 1950s. Sudirman, born on in Temerloh, Pahang, was the youngest of seven siblings and born to Arshad Hassan and Romlah Dahalan.