VETERAN news presenter and a staple voice at RTM, Constance Haslam Behr has passed away in Versailles, France. She was believed to be in her 70s.
Constance, more endearingly known as Connie, succumbed to an aneurysm, and was declared clinically brain dead.
Before her passing, she agreed to be an organ donor, and the hospital to which she was admitted had agreed to carry out her wishes as there were no chances of recovery. Connie was a familiar name to those who grew up in the 70s listening to the radio.
As a presenter and deejay, she played the latest hits of the day and had a warm personality whenever speaking with listeners or avid fans of her show.
Her death was announced by long-time friend and colleague, Patrick Teoh on his social media page, Monday, October 3. “Today, I woke up to the sad news that an old friend, colleague and former radio announcer, Connie Haslam, has departed for the big radio station in the sky.
“A whole generation of us have listened to her golden voice, reading the news, answering requests, and spinning the top hits of the day.
“Farewell Connie, and keep the music playing up there," Teoh wrote in a Facebook post.
Connie was a trailblazer and lit the torch for more women to follow in radio and media. She spent 26 years as an announcer on Radio 4, now known as Traxx FM. In the 1970s, she hosted RTM’s talent search Bakat TV, the predecessor to Bintang RTM, the Malaysian equivalent of Britain’s Got Talent.
In an interview in 2012, Connie said her radio career gave her a platform to express her creativity.
“And when TV began, I became the first female host of a TV show, Bakat TV. We were all trained by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and it was they who truly taught me the ropes," she said.
As a television host and radio announcer, Connie interviewed international artists including the likes of Gloria Estefan, Hammer, Dionne Warwick, and the Bee Gees. She left RTM in 1990 and joined Rediffusion Radio for two years in the public relations department.
Later, she moved to Singapore and eventually settled in France in 2000. Despite living abroad, she kept close ties to Malaysia and would visit her former colleagues such as the late Alan Zachariah, Razali Hussein and Fauziah Nawi.
Colleagues, friends, and old fans are posting tributes to her on social media and WhatsApp groups within the media circle.
James Loke posted on Facebook: “All regular and faithful listeners of Radio 4 from the seventies, I regret to inform you that Constance Haslam Behr (Constance Haslam), passed away yesterday suddenly as I was informed by my legendary deejay, Munira Murad just a few minutes ago. Let us pray for her soul. I'm very sad to hear the news.”
Another Facebook user Mohamed Ariff wrote: “RIP Constance Haslam, the RTM DJ and newsreader in the 70s and 80s. My condolences to the family members. May her soul rest in peace.”
Blogger Kak Teh, in a post from July 2010 wrote, “For most of us over a certain age, our growing-up years would have been touched by the dulcet tones of Constance Haslam; cheerful and chirpy while delivering request programmes, professional and informative when delivering the news, and warm and friendly during chat shows.
“Hers was the voice you’d like to wake up to or have as a soothing companion during the daily battle with the traffic to work.” – The Vibes, October 3, 2022
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