Preparing Ramadan goodies. Picture by The Star.
Sunday September 30, 2007
This special time of the year
Air Raves: By ANTHONY THANASAYAN
CURIOUS to know what daily fare our local FM stations had been dishing out to listeners around the time to break fast this Ramadan, I sampled some of the offerings on the airwaves recently, at home.
Of course, tuning in during the rush hour when you’re not caught in a traffic jam is quite different from when you’re sandwiched between cars on the road.
Nonetheless, here’s what I discovered after 7pm that recent Friday (Sept 21):
It was a particularly humid evening. And listening to the radio without air-conditioning at home but feeling the blast of hot air on your face made concentration difficult.
Most of the radio stations shifted to low gear on their music and talk, seemingly winding down for the day into a mellow mood.
RTM’s Asyik FM (formerly Radio 7), which caters mainly to the orang asli community, was dutifully announcing the exact times to buka puasa. It followed that up with recitals from the Holy Quran before prayers were uttered by children – a nice touch.
Asyik FM then opened up its telephone lines for the public to call in and share a pantun (Malay poem) or two with other listeners.
The female deejay who hosted the calls, however, sounded rather listless. It turned into a drag for everyone. Coupled with the humidity that night, who could blame anyone for wanting to change the dial?
Traffic reporter Priscilla Patrick, on the other hand, was on her toes as usual. She filed in her last traffic report for the day on Hitz.fm at 7.20pm ... “Most roads in central Kuala Lumpur are congested with traffic,” she summarised.
Listeners stuck on the roads and who needed further updates must have been relieved to bump into Fly fm’s traffic update at 7.35pm.
Finally, KL fm’s special song selection that evening was George Benson’s Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You. After which the radio station wished all its listeners a pleasant and safe journey on the road.
It reminded everyone that Ramadan was a time to remember the poor and needy. It also called on Muslims to fulfil their religious obligations during this special time of the year.
Meanwhile, more Ramadan specials on Ikim.fm:
·Takzirah/Remembrance: It’s all about how Muslims observe Ramadan. This 15-minute live feature broadcast five days a week can be heard on Mondays to Fridays at 1.45pm. (Produced by Maslina Alias.)
·Pisang Selendan: Also produced by Maslina, this 30-minute two-part feature reveals how families in Sabah and Sarawak live in harmony and respect for one another despite their different religions. Showtime: Saturday, 9.30am.
·Dilaman Ramadan (Arabic special): Learn the significance of Ramadan to the Muslims. This 15-minute segment is aired daily at 4.45pm. (Producer: Mona Jasman)
Despite living in the cyber age, the writer insists that radio still provides a unique window on the world. When he isn’t scanning bandwidths, he helps to raise awareness of positive living with pets through his organisation, Petpositive (Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association).
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