KUALA LUMPUR: The former producer of one Malaysia’s well known Radio Televisyen Malaysia. (RTM) television series, Empat Sekawan, Long Hin Boon, passed away in Australia recently.
Chin Then Shoong, former controller of RTM’s Radio 5 said the broadcasting veteran passed way on July 31 and his death was conveyed by Long’s second son via an obituary, recently.
“It came as a shock for many old friends of Long in Kuala Lumpur, especially among the RTM veterans who were his colleagues during 1960s to 1970s, not excluding the drama viewers who followed closely the most talked about Chinese series called “ Empat Sekawan “ in that period of time,” Chin said today.
Chin said the multi-language Chinese drama had successfully won the hearts and mind of many Malaysians and had gone on to become a household name.
The multi-dialect TV sitcom series involved the day-to-day happenings of four friends, presented in Mandarin, Hakka, Hokkien and Cantonese language and ran from 1966 to 1988.
The series starred four friends – Lai Meng, Hon Ying, Hoi Yong and Wong Hor.
Empat Sekawan began during pre-Merdeka days as a radio show.
“Long moved forward in his creative thinking, and soon turned the then radio dialectal drama into a new chapter by starting a TV drama series called “ Empat Sekawan”, targeting the TV viewers who generally speak Chinese dialects such as Hokkien, Teochew , Kongfu and Hakka,” Chin said.
“The drama proved to be very popular and was the longest Chinese drama series ever in the history of RTM,” Chin said.
Long began his career in Filem Negara, and later in Radio Malaysia.
In 1963, when TV Malaysia was launched he joined the force and was taken as one of the pioneer producers responsible for producing Chinese programmes, namely news , musical and drama.
“At that juncture, TV Malaysia was still in its primitive stage of black-and-white productions only. Also, there was no recording facilities available.
“Subsequently, all programmes were to be telecast live. The small studio was converted from the basement of Tunku Abdul Rahman Building, Jalan Ampang, where Long brought in his musicians, singers or Cantonese Opera for live entertainment programmes.
“Long accepted the challenges,” he said.
Chin adds that as an creative producer, Long even started a very popular Malay programme entitled “ Bangsawan”. It was a hit among the Malay viewers.
He adds that Long had also served briefly as head of the Staging and Designing Services in the 1970s after TV Malaysia was moved to Angkasapuri.
Chin said Long was popular with his subordinates who called him “ Pak Long”.
“A man full of wit and humour, he brought laughter wherever he was around. He was calm and easy to work with his colleagues, kind to his friends and full of care for his relatives,” he said.
Long retired in 1984 and stayed with his family in Australia since 2010.
He leaves behind his wife Tan Hong Sian, now residing in Australia and three sons Dr. Long See Lain, a doctor in the Oriental Specialists Hospital, Melaka, Long Shih Chung, a teacher retired in Canada and Long Shin Dar, a Chief Financial Officer at a corporate company.