Creating History

Congratulations to Dato’ Hajjah Norhyati binti Ismail for being elevated the Director General of Broadcasting Malaysia.

It is the pinnacle of a broadcaster career being thrust into the position entrusted with huge responsibility.

With that she created two historical landmarks in the annals of Malaysian broadcasting, specifically Radio-Television Malaysia, RTM. She is the first lady in the country to be in that position and the first from Sarawak to hold the position.

I believe and have faith in her leading the way to a glorious future for RTM. The doldrums and period of uncertainties under caretakers for the last few years should be thing of the past for RTM. She has a set of young talented hard working and forward looking talents at her disposal ready to be harnessed.

I have known her strength when she headed the TV component of RTM Sarawak while I was the Director of the Region in 1992-3. Among her achievement was creating successfully the P.Ramlee Singing Competition (Pertandingan Lagu-Lagu P.Ramlee) on the national level held in Sarawak. She also created the children singing talent “Bintang Kecil” that went nationwide.

Another achievement of her was the successful implementation of the coverage of the National Day Parade in Kuching in 1993. It was a difficult project having to line-up the cameras at the most awkward positions on limited space of the Merdeka Padang in Kuching with huge trees surrounding it.

When I was heading the TV set up of RTM as its Director prior to my retirement late 1995, Norhyati was brought to Kuala Lumpur to head the Entertainment Department. She brought new life to the “hiburan” programmes subtly displaying the national culture.

She rose through the rank and held various positions in RTM, including the Director of Sarawak Region and Director of Strategy.

Norhyati has known broadcasting all her life. Her father the late Haji Ismail was a well known radio announcer in its early days in Sarawak. Later he headed the Malay Service of RTM Sarawak. That when “Pak Mail” became acquainted with me, then representing the Northern Region based in Penang. We used to meet annually when we headed our singing talents at the “Bintang Radio” competition. He has nutured her to love family life as she is very close to her aging mother residing in Kuching and all her siblings and relatives.

Norhyati has a good voice. She was the lead nasyid singer of the well known Sarawak group that perform at the National and International Quraan Recital Competition in its early days. Norhyati is very good in reciting the Quraan too. She participated in several competitions and was RTM champion some years back.

She graduated in broadcasting from the UiTM Mass Communication School. She is also an MBA degree holder from University of Southern Queensland, Australia.


She was the first broadcaster in Sarawak to be honoured the Datoship by the State of Sarawak while in service. A rare honour indeed in the history of the Department.

I wish her well and success in her new position.

May Allah be with her always.