Bintang HMI

I was not much into music. Last night for no reason I decided to watch what the entertainment fare on TV1 was after the 8.00 p.m. main news. I was pleasantly surprised to see the current primadona of the national singing scene Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza Taruddin in the special “Bersama Siti Nurhaliza”. RTM have decided to replace the long running Saturday night entertainment fare of “Hiburan Minggu Ini” (HMI) with the “Bersama...” series.

I am no great follower of CT as she is popularly recognised by her numerous fans neither do I know her personally but she is one of those personality who affected decisions I made in my career at RTM. I was elated by her announcement that it was at that Auditorium where she was presently performing that her career as a singer was launched when she was declared the winner of the singing contest “Bintang HMI 1995”.

She was the second winner of the short span series. The first winner in 1994 was Nora, another well known singer following her success in the contest. There was another contest after I retired from service in 1996 won by the popular Sarawak girl.

How I got involved with this series went back to the time when I was sent to Kuching to be RTM’s Director for the Sarawak Region. It was a laid back life there and I was working at a leisurely pace as my main attention was on the radio broadcasts of numerous local ethnic dialects. We were just a feeder service for television in Kuala Lumpur. As a person used hectic work regime at headquarters in KL, ideas start mushrooming in my mind on improving the broadcasts.

We had close rapport with the state government under Pihin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. He was supportive of our children programme which gave birth to the popular contest “Bintang Kecil”. Pihin Sri is well known for being a great fan of the legendary P.Ramlee. When I made a curtsey call on reporting duty in Kuching he was toying with the idea of introducing a talent singing contest over TV entitled “Bintang P.Ramlee” which was introduced over the local radio. After listening to my explanation on the intricacies of running the contest nation-wide on TV he readily agreed the state government would bear part of the cost. So began the “Bintanng P.Ramlee” venture every two years.

The then Minister of Information Tan Sri Mohamad Rahmat was present at the first contest in 1993 held at the newly Stadium Perpaduan Kuching carried live by TV1. The busiest person running the show in Kuching was the present Director General Dato Norhyati Ismail who was then heading the TV component of RTM in Sarawak.

Tan Sri Mohamad was lamenting to me the dearth of talent spotting programme on the musical scene over RTM. I could not respond to him positively as that was KL’s responsibility. I was happy he was heaps of praised for the “Bintang P.Ramlee” and our cooperation with the state government.

When I came back to KL and made the Director of Television again I heard the same lamenting from the Minister. The strange thing was that I was never invited by my boss to attend the “Post Cabinet” meeting every Wednesday afternoon and could not give direct respond to the Minister. I knew he wanted us to give TV3 a run for their money in this department as it was running a successful singing contest programme based on popular artists’ performance on the chart.

On the quite I suggested to the then Head of Entertainment TV Barbara Edmond to run a small contest within the ever popular Saturday night HMI. Initially she was hesitant as it involved extra responsibility to get the mechanism working. We met the entertainment producers who took turn producing HMI. They were willing to take up the challenge by adding additional change to the already winning formula which was getting too predictable. It did not affect the budget too greatly. So we launch the project quitely without informing the power upstairs.

The boys and girls in the Hiburan TV started fanning the whole country with the cooperation of their Hiburan counterpart all over the nation searching for talents. They started the Bintang HMI on a modest basis having six contestants in each episode on preliminary basis. Then it went to the Quarter-Finals and the press were on it speculating the winners. The bosses upstairs started paying attention following the excellent press report.

                                                        (compliment Jack Nadarajah)

The Bintang HMI got more intense when we decided to run the Semi-Finals as a whole programme on the HMI slot. We decided to run the Final live after getting support all round especially the Orchestra RTM who were willing to accompany the singers. We also got the best musical experts of the country to be the judges.

By this time I decided to be just in the background and let other people do the talking. What was important to me it was mission accomplished – the Minister was pleased with the professionalism of the staff of the Hiburan Department without being “directed”.

The first year experienced gave us a good guideline on running the next show and CT was the winner getting the limelight to be a Superstar and an excellent “ambassador” of Malaysian singing. She is a great defender of Malay dresses. I have not seen her out of it ever since I set eyes on her.  She deserves to be a winner.

Privatising RTM

This is another posting in Malay:

Swasta RTM

Kebelakangan ini terdengar semula kisah menswastakan RTM atau pon memperbadankannya; kisah yang telah wujud sejak hampir 30 tahun lampau. Dimasa lampau sekumpulan staf RTM dikerah membuat kajian dan mengemukakan cadangan “comprehensive” yang memakan masa berbulan-bulan lama sehingga ada yang tidak memberi tumpuan kepada tugas asas. Satu ketika pula satu syarikat perunding diupah beratus ribu ringgit untuk membuat kajian “feasibality”. Namun akhirnya RTM terus beroperasi seperti biasa sebagai Jabatan Kerajaan hingga hari ini.

Saya yang tidak pernah terlibat dengan kajian yang dinyatakan itu sudah  tentu tidak dapat memberi sebarang butiran. Saya sekadar dapat menangkap apa yang disebut-sebut oleh rakan-rakan sekerja dalam perbincangan kerana dokumen2 mengenainya tidak pernah sampai ketangan saya sebagai salah seorang pegawai kanan Jabatan ketika itu. “Input” dari saya yang mengetuai salah satu sektor Jabatan juga tidak pernah diminta; saya anggap sektor berkenaan tidak penting dalam usaha pengswastaan. Mengapa sedemikian tidak pernah saya persoalkan, kerana menjadi resam bangsa kita mempersoalkan sesuatu bermakna “kurang ajar” kepada bos “who is always right”.

Bila saya ditanya bolehkah RTM diswasta atau diperbadan? Saya masih memberi jawapan separuh positif – boleh dan tidak boleh. Berdasarkan keadaan, RTM memang sukar hendak diswastakan secara menyeluruh. Operasi RTM terbahagi kepada dua komponen besar – Radio dan Televisyen.

Radio nampaknya sukar hendak diswastakan kerana ia beroperasi diserata negeri negara ini dengan bilangan staf yang begitu ramai. Hampir semua pengkalan radio dinegeri-negeri tidak mampu membawa pulangan yang menguntungkan dari segi komersil atau iklan dan tajaan. Di ibu negara serta di Sabah dan Sarawak ia beroperasi dalam beberapa bahasa dan loghat untuk memenuhi matlamat menyampaikan maklumat seluas mungkin kepada masyarakat menyebabkan operasinya tidak ekonomi bagi satu syarikat swasta.

Di ibu negara Radio mungkin mampu mengimbangkan bajet pendapatan dan perbelanjaan. Namun perlu diingat tujuan swasta ia memperolehi untung untuk dilabur bagi mengembangkan asset. Hampir semua ajensi iklan dan syarikat terkemuka dan multinasional termasuk yang mampu mengeluar perbelanjaan untuk mempromosi atau menyerantakan jenama masing2 beribu pejabat di Kuala Lumpur.

Sekiranya Radio diswastakan ia misti bersedia menemui persaingan hebat dari radio-radio swasta yang sedia wujud dan sudah mencipta nama dikalangan pengiklan dan pendengar. Kemampuan Radio RTM meninggalkan reputasinya sebagai suara kerajaan sudah tentu menjadi satu persoalan.

Mengenai TV, rasanya ia boleh diswastakan kerana kompleksiti Radio tidak wujud di TV. TV hanya beroperasi di ibu negara berserta kompleks kecil di Kota Kinabalu dan Kuching sahaja. Lagipon dengan tersedianya kemajuan teknoloji yang sentiasa berkembang beberapa komponen TV seperti penggunaan filem dalam tugas harian sudah tidak wujud lagi membikinkan operasi, sekaligus staf, mengecut. Dengan wujudnya digital dan komputer segala operasinya mengecut sama. Hanya perbelanjaan bajet mungkin meningkat demi memperolehi asset-asset tersebut.

Infrastrukur komersil pengiklanan sudah sedia wujud di TV, hanya memerlukan tindakan lebih agresif dari staf sahaja.

Satu masa dahulu diwujudkan “Akaun Amanah Tajaan” untuk TV yang membuktikan ia mampu memperolehi pendapatan yang cukup lumayan. Saya masih ingat pada tahun 80an Jawatankuasa 3 orang mengendalikan “Akaun” itu di anggotai Dicky Lee, Setiausaha Bahagian Kewangan Kementerian Penerangan selaku Pengerusi serta Hanan Alang Endut (kini Dato’) Ketua Bahagian Pengiklanan dan saya Amran A Hamid, Ketua Siaran Sukan RTM.

Langkah awal mewujudkan “Akaun” itu ialah untuk mendapat kelonggaran syarat meningkatkan mutu siaran dan liputan sukan TV RTM. Kebetulan setiap kali liputan acara sukan yang penting ketika itu terpaksa melalui proses panjang hingga ke Perbendaharaan, menyebabkan ada kalanya tergendala siaran dan liputan. Dengan adanya “Akaun” itu Perkhidmatan Sukan mendapat kelonggaran mengurangkan proses itu kerana yang dipentingkan pada masa itu ialah jumlah pendapatan yang menguntungkan dipenghujung siaran. Secara kebetulan pula syarikat dan jenama terkemuka khususnya rokok menumpukan iklan mereka khusus ke jurusan sukan. Di akhir tahun pertama perolehan “AAT” melalui rancangan sukan sahaja berjumlah berjuta ringgit setelah ditolak kos perbelanjaan. Elok juga diingatkan ini tidak melibat bajet emolumen (gaji) staf.

Keadaan ini membuka mata ramai. Kemudian dilibatkan pula penerbitan Drama “in-house” yang terpaksa mengeluarkan kos boleh dikatakan tinggi demi penerbitan yang berkualiti dan prestij. Disini kami menghadapi masaalah kerana kebanyak pengiklan dan agensi tidak begitu minat terhadap drama tempatan, khususnya drama Melayu terbitan RTM. Akhirnya kami berjaya memujuk Pengurus Besar jenama Dunhill untuk terlibat dalam pengiklanan Drama berkenaan. Sejak itu sambutan iklan kepada drama tempatan kian meningkat kerana rancangan itu mempunyai pengikut yang meluas di seluruh negara.

Kemudian Kejuruteraan meminta supaya ia terlibat dengan “AAT” kerana resesi semasa itu menyukarkan mereka memperolehi peralatan yang canggih untuk liputan. Kemasukan Kejuruteraan tidak mendatangkan perolehan menjadikan garis penghujung AAT setiap tahun kurang berkembang. Namun baki Akaun itu tetap selesa mencecah angka beratus juta ringgit.

Apabila saya menjadi Pengarah Kawasan Sarawak di Kuching saya tidak berapa aktif dalam perjalanan harian AAT, hanya datang ke KL sekali-sekala untuk memperakui Kenyataan Akaunnya. Tidak lama selepas itu saya mendapat tahu “AAT” ditutup, segala baki akaunnya di pulangkan kepada perbendaharaan.

Dari sinilah saya berani menyatakan TV RTM mampu di swastakan.

Avoiding scam on the internet

  

So many gullible one had become victim of scam in so many ways. Here I just want to concentrate on the possibility of being victim via the internet.

My experience leads me to believe the exposure of our personal details or profile could be one of the sources. So far I have not been approached via this blog but on Facebook (FB) I have received numerous proposals with the intention of being partner in big business, friendship that could end in matrimony, and the girls from another country claiming to be daughters of Malaysian who passed away leaving them with their mothers wishing to be back to their father’s homeland.

I find the business proposals mind boggling. When somebody mentioned in term of investing millions of American dollars and British sterling, my initial reaction was why they don’t just dump their riches into some safe deposits, trust funds and the numerous money markets. Why should they want to share their good fortune which they claimed to have come from sheer hard work with someone staying so far away whom they don’t even know and trust.

Then there are the soldiers who found caches of American money on the battle front in countries where the American and allies have invaded. They want to get the money out and wanted my help. How are they going to do it over their side when the banking systems are topsy-turvy there. Being a curious person I just checked the FB address which I could not trust.

To me the intention of being on social network of FB was to be in touch with friends, relatives and acquaintances that we may not be in touch for a long time. Getting new friends is a bonus. I don’t mind friendship with sincere intention from overseas.

To be “friends” on FB all we need do is just to make a “request” to the intended person who has an FB account or likewise. This I consider genuine.

When it comes from the people mentioned above they don’t make any “request” to be friend neither do they accept to “add” me as a “friend”. All of them just write on FB “messages” detailing their sad past, intention and proposal. They request for my e-mail address and telephone number. The funny thing is that they don’t have any “friends” on their profile. My preference would be people who have many friends.

Initially I was quite taken up by the sob stories but when there was an influx of the same; my instinct just told me these were not right. I stopped responding through the FB “message”.

I put up on my wall and status on this as well as consulted friends, all of them advised me just to ignore. It seems later they will be asking for bank account details and other things. This could lead to untoward happening.

We have read this scam in the media where the “victim” lost a substantial amount and not much could be done to pacify.

Rather than be a victim, let us nip the scam in the bud.

SmartTAG is not smart

I have been using “SmartTAG” and “Touch ‘n Go” (TnG) since the day they were introduced more than a decade ago. I can vouch they are not that smart after all.

Yes they do splendid job moving users with ease at the busy toll plaza most of the time beating those who pay cash – that’s all both could do.

When first introduced it was quite a hassle purchasing them. Ahead in the market was the card “TnG” to be followed later by the gadget named “SmartTAG”. We had to filled lengthy personal details on a form detailing identity card number, address, telephone number among other things. Identity card (MyKad) has to be shown at the counter when submitting the form together with specific amount of payment.

It was a popular new gadget in the market and customers did not mind the submission. I thought it was really smart indeed. Was I disappointed to discover later that the purpose of the two gadgets was just to let me through the toll plazas without having to stop to pay cash and nothing else. Of course nowadays they have extended its usage like a credit or cash card and fare payment for the integrated public transport system.

It just happened once I misplaced my card and requested a replacement. I was told the company producing the card could not do it. I was wondering why took the trouble to take all the personal details to be placed in the computer system when they cannot disabled the missing or stolen card. The only solution, I have to go through the whole process again just to get a new “TnG” card.

This happen again years later when my car was broken into and the only thing missing was the “SmartTAG”.

I thought it was stupid to tell the girls at the counters the weakness of the system as so many had done. I voice my complain and argue with the counter girls to convey to the higher ups the weakness, if need be I am willing to write a report. After all there is nothing to worry as they are in possession of my complete personal details.

Of course at this time similar grouses began to surface in the media. At first there were denials from the company. Then they were silence as I assumed they realised the weakness of the system enabling the usage of both gadgets when they got stolen.

At first when users wanted to “top up” the card they have to produce their identity cards “for verification”. I thought that was silly as it serve no purpose due to what I have mentioned. So I informed the counter I am not producing my IC no matter what until they can guarantee that my stolen card could be block. I got my way of topping-up without producing my IC.

Nowadays I noticed they don’t demand for the IC to be produced when topping up. However one still has to fill the lengthy form to apply for a new one. The same procedures apply for the purchase of a “SmartTAG” but I got away with filling the form recently by telling the counter I could not see. I asked her to fill up details on MyKad which I handed to her and I by-pass so many other customers who were struggling with the form.

It just goes to proof that the SmartTAG and its partner “TnG” are not that smart after all.

I wish the tag and the card is much smarter like enabling the usage of stolen or lost card at the topping up stage at the counter, should it be difficult to do it at the toll plaza passage. This is greatly beneficial in crime preventing. It will assist the police and other authorities to catch or prevent the culprit from making a trade in stealing or breaking cars. I personally feel in this economic turn down it will ease my budget greatly.

I hope someone smart at the Touch ’n Go Sdn Bhd will take notice and action.