Fantastic win

THE cover story headlined Facts and fancies ( Insight, Jan 22), brought back a flood of memories for me.

In the 1960s, a popular programme called Fantastic Facts And Fancies aired on Radio Malaysia on Sunday mornings. A fantastic fact would be revealed, followed by seven songs. Listeners were invited to arrange the songs in order of relevance to the fact revealed.

The sponsor, Kee Huat Radio Company, offered attractive weekly prizes in the form of electrical items. If there was no winner for a particular week, the prizes would snowball.

Living in somewhat not-so-comfortable conditions in Kampung Air Leleh, Malacca, then, I dreamt of winning one of the prizes – at least a radio, a prized possession at that time.

Not deterred by the stiff competition, I submitted four entries one particular week and, hey presto, I was declared the week’s winner and won prizes which had snowballed over five weeks. These included two radios, three toasters and five gas lighters.

The good news spread like wildfire and I was the toast of the kampung. Even my parents were proud of me. I was considered “rich” – as if I had won the first prize in the Social Welfare Lottery draw. I can still remember vividly the radio DJ announcing my name and my Air Leleh address on air.

I continued to take part and did win a few more prizes. My brothers, and then classmates, picked up the habit and also won many prizes. Dr Pola Singh