KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah expressed their condolences to the family of former director-general of Broadcasting Datuk Abdullah Mohamad, who died today.
Through a post on the Istana Negara Facebook page, Their Majesties also expressed sadness over his passing and hoped that his family would be patient and persevere in the face of this sad and difficult situation.
“Their Majesties pray that his soul will be blessed by Allah SWT and be placed among the righteous.
“Their Majesties appreciate his services, contributions, and sacrifices and describe his passing as a great loss to the media and broadcasting fields in the country,” it added.
Abdullah, 91, among the pioneer television producers in Malaysia, died at a private hospital at 5 am today.
Abdullah, from Muar, Johor, was appointed director-general of Broadcasting in 1975 and retired in 1986.
Among Radio Television Malaysia’s (RTM) achievements under his administration were the introduction of colour television broadcasts in Malaysia and the expansion of RTM television broadcasts to Sabah and Sarawak.
Abdullah ventured into broadcasting in January 1954 as an announcer and translator and then served at the Malay Division of the British Broadcasting Corporation, London, from 1957 to 1962.
Abdullah, who was also the founder and first president of the Association of RTM Veterans (PVRTM), received the Tokoh Seri Angkasa award in 2010 and the National Press Club (NPC) awarded him the NPC-Ambank Media Legend Award in 2012 in recognition of his contribution to the country’s media industry. – Bernama
