KUCHING: Ever wondered about the smooth voices and engaging broadcasts that captivate radio audiences each day? Going on the air is more than just a job, it’s a vocation, a craft a select few have mastered over the airwaves.
One such iconic personality is Julaihi Udin, 68, a celebrated voice from Radio TV Malaysia (RTM) Sarawak during the 1970s and 1980s.
Sarawak Tribune recently had the privilege of sitting down with Julaihi, who shared his remarkable journey, the challenges he faced, and the memorable moments that defined his illustrious career in radio broadcasting.
Sarawak Tribune: First of all, can you share with us how your journey as an announcer began?
Julaihi: I started working at RTM on October 9, 1975. At that time, RTM was called the Malay Service (Perkhidmatan Melayu), and subsequently National Network (Rangkaian Nasional). It was eventually changed to Sarawak FM. Before that, of course, I had to go through an interview first. The person who interviewed me at the time was the late father of Datuk Hayati Ismail. Before starting my career as an announcer, I worked as a temporary teacher in rural areas, at SK Lubok Mata, Kota Samarahan.
Q: Out of all the jobs, why choose to become an announcer?
A: The main reason I became an announcer was because of passion. I still remember the words of my English teacher at St Thomas Secondary School. Every time, during reading session, Mrs Foo and the other teachers would encourage me to read because of my intonation and pronunciation.
The comment I often heard from Mrs Foo was, “Julaihi, you’d better join the radio, become a newsreader.” I remembered those words, so when I received the offer to become an announcer, I took it.
Q: How did you feel the first time you went on air? Were you nervous, anxious, or a little scared?
A: Yes, initially, I had to undergo internal training to learn how to handle the equipment to become an announcer. I was only allowed to go on air after getting approval and guidance from the supervisor. My mentor at the time was my own friend, Maserat Abu Bakar. He was the adviser who guided me from behind the scenes. I was indeed nervous because we talk to ourselves, but in our minds, many people are listening to us, unlike when we are on stage.
Before becoming an announcer at RTM, I often served as a stage host. At that time, I was referred to as a bangsawan because my village was well-known for bangsawan (a type of traditional Malay theatre). So, being a host on stage and on air is different. When we are on stage, we can see our audience right in front of us, which doesn’t make me nervous. However, when on air, in my mind, I imagined many people were listening to me. So, the feeling of nervousness was definitely there.
Q: At that time, what was your role as an announcer?
A: Perhaps I went a bit beyond the norm. Usually, people think an announcer’s job is just to entertain and inform listeners. However, I believe that the programmes aired were not just products, but tools to develop human talents. My product is Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir. RTM stars, or Bintang Kecil, like Dayang Nur Faizah, are RTM’s products. For me, the programmes were tools to create products.
Q: What programmes have you worked on?
A: One of the most successful programmes I worked on was when I produced Jeniri through the Komentar Anda programme. At that time, I thought that communication connections were challenging. Getting opinions and feedback from people in remote areas was difficult. For instance, I was in Kuching. So, how could I get feedback from listeners in Miri, Sibu, and other places? Even phones didn’t exist then.
So, I resorted to writing. My goal in creating the programme was to produce a writer, not just to listen to opinions. We wrote, and the letters were sent to the producer. So, at 4pm, all those letters were read on air. Jeniri and his brother, Marudi Amir, were consistent contributors. That’s why I wanted to hear comments from distant listeners.
Q: Before going on air, what was your daily routine?
A: We were given a schedule before going on air. So, before that, I would review my schedule. In the schedule, we had to know how much time we needed to fill for a slot, what songs to play, and what programmes to present. Back then, it wasn’t like now, where one can simply talk to fill the time. At that time, we had programme packages of 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 45 minutes, and one hour. Usually, I worked in shifts, which lasted three hours. During those three hours, I calculated how much space was covered by the programmes, and I had to prepare other programmes to fill the remaining time. So, that’s when I needed to find materials to talk about and fill the gaps.
Q: Radio is like a theatre of the mind. How do you ensure effectiveness in such a theater?
A: To me, to make something effective, we need to have gimmicks so people will always follow us. Sometimes, certain gimmicks have to be acted out. Once, a fan said that they loved hearing my laughter. Not just one person, but several people. There was even a time when I received a phone call from a listener because they wanted to hear my laugh. So, I had to reenact my laugh out of nothing. That’s one of the gimmicks I did.
Q: What challenges did you face as a radio announcer in the 1970s and 1980s?
A: Communication was a challenge. Engaging with listeners back then was not as easy as it is now. At the time, communication was only possible through letters. Even having listeners participate in programmes was a challenge. Receiving feedback from them was also limited to letters.
Working at RTM itself was a challenge. I used to live in Kampung Tabuan, and transportation was only available by bus. Before catching the bus, I had to walk and take a sampan (boat). The sampan service started at 6am, and RTM’s broadcast began at the same time. The last sampan service was around 10 or 11pm, but RTM’s broadcast ended at midnight. This meant I had to stay overnight at RTM. That was the sacrifice I had to make as a radio announcer back then.
Q: Who was your role model or idol among announcers?
A: My idol was the late Mohd Tuah Idris because his delivery was very similar to mine. In terms of delivery rhythm, reading style, and accent, we were quite alike. At the national level, my idol at the time was Nor Nikman. That’s why I named my eldest son Khairul Nikman.
My contemporaries at that time were, of course, Hashim Nazim, who was the best at that time, the late Ghazali Yaman, Rohana Roslan, Safawi Hamdan, Hassanah Haji Daud, and Noraini Zulkifli.
Q: What was the satisfaction of being an announcer?
A: Whenever I received feedback from listeners, that was satisfaction for me, even if it was just from one person. To me, that was an achievement. For example, when Jeniri himself gave feedback on my programme. Back then, wherever I went, RTM was very well-known. When covering ministers, people would seek out RTM. But it’s not like that now because times have changed. Back then, RTM was a monopoly.
Q: What other achievements do you feel could be considered your legacy?
A: Honestly, I served for Allah, not for awards. My weakness is that I don’t know how to market myself. Back then, we had many awards such as the Sri Angkasa Awards, and many of my superiors wanted to nominate me. However, I was not good at self-promotion and chose not to participate in those awards. To me, if someone wants to give me an award or recognise my work, they are welcome to do so.
Q: In your opinion, what are the key traits needed to become a successful radio announcer?
A: Knowledge and reading are among the most important traits. I always advise not to make reading a hobby. If it’s a hobby, you’ll only read during your free time. Reading should be a culture, not a hobby. When it becomes a culture, it’s like eating: it’s something you must do. Back then, I read all the newspapers. When I arrived at the office, I didn’t do anything else first—I went straight to reading the newspapers.
Besides knowledge, you definitely need a strong, good voice. You also need talent and passion. Both are essential. If you have passion but lack talent, it can still be developed. Sometimes, talents are hidden. So, you must at least have a bit of talent to be a radio announcer.
Q: You’ve retired. What are you doing now?
A: I have two jobs. My full-time job is taking care of my grandchildren. My part-time job is being a driver for them. When my child is busy and needs help picking up my grandchild from school, I do it. Now, I listen to the radio less when driving. I watch television at home and spend time with my grandchildren because I’m not fond of the language used by today’s radio announcers.
Q: After retiring, what memories touch your heart and often come to mind?
A: My career wasn’t just as a radio announcer. My last position was as a television news editor in 2005. Before that, in 2002, I was the first person tasked with establishing the marketing unit at RTM. I didn’t have much experience with television news, only the basics. While working as a television news editor, I edited scripts and produced news as usual.
Q: Lastly, what are your tips for auditioning as a programme producer?
A: In my time, auditions tested voice, news reading, reciting essays, and acting. The toughest part was differentiating tones between reading news and essays. If you succeeded, you were likely to pass. Today, news reading tones seem uniform.
