Rasyidah delivering Mandarin news on
RTM TV2
Rasyidah Abu Johan, a
public relations alumna from
UTAR caught the attention of the
netizens when videos and screenshots of her reading the Mandarin news on
Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) went viral on Facebook. Being the first
Malay news anchor in the country for RTM’s Mandarin news, Rasyidah shared
her extraordinary journey to become what she is today.
The 32-year-old lass majored in Bachelor of
Communications (Hons) Public Relations at UTAR Petaling Jaya Campus. “My
friends and then classmates, namely Stephanie and Lee Ying Shin helped me
through thick and thin during my time there. They had me mingle with others
at various events organised by the UTAR student associations to help boost
my self-confidence. I learnt to speak out and interact more with
positive-minded students who made my student life most enjoyable,” Rasyidah
said as she reminisced her times at UTAR from 2007 till 2009.
She is most grateful for her friends and lecturers
for all the educational experiences and she still keeps in touch with most
of them. After leaving her alma mater for more than a decade now, she would
like to offer her juniors her wise words, “University life is a shadow that
gives you a glimpse into your adulthood. Life only begins when you embark on
your first career. You will be surprised to find that your skills and
knowledge are not the most fundamental things out here, but how you are able
to handle yourself and face the most unexpected challenges.”
Rasyidah (middle) with Stephanie
(right) and Lee Ying Shin (left) at UTAR convocation 2009
Upon graduating from UTAR, she worked as a personal
assistant to a celebrity. She also delivered video translation work. In
2011, the Public Services Commission of Malaysia (SPA) offered her a
producer position at the RTM newsroom. She was working at the general desk
before moving to the Mandarin desk in 2014. The management then realised her
potential and talent in the Mandarin language. Her job scope includes news
production, translation, video editing and voice-over.
On 26 January 2020, she went on air for the first
time and swiftly drew the interests of the public and media. While many were
impressed by her Mandarin fluency, Rasyidah who is the eldest of three
siblings, continued to stay humble and felt that there was still a lot to
learn, “The challenges that I now face include getting my pronunciation
right and delivering the news in a more compelling manner. News readers
often have a stronger “bass” in their voice but I have yet to master that. I
need to find a balance in my voice.”
Rasyidah before going on air
Growing up, Rasyidah had a decent exposure to the
Mandarin language. In a separate
interview, she mentioned her desire
to enrol in a vernacular Chinese school because she had Chinese friends who
were too shy to talk to her when she was six years old. The Penang-born lass
studied in SJK(C) Hwa Aik in Perlis, SJK(C) Chung Shan in Penang and SJK(C)
Tsung Wah in Perak. She completed her secondary education at SMJK Tsung Wah
and Shen Jai High School, both in Perak. She decided to pursue her tertiary
education at UTAR as many of her friends were there and the tuition fees
were affordable.
Speaking of her plans for the
future, she wishes to continue improving her performance and language skills
as a host and news anchor.
Watch her first appearance on RTM news
here.
Rasyidah with her colleagues at RTM
TV2
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