MALAYSIANSKINI | With his signature broad smile and boyish handsome looks, Sarawak-born Rashid Salleh was perfectly cast as sweet-natured Joe in the ground-breaking English-language sitcom “Kopitiam” (1998-2003).
The series broke through barriers, attracted a diverse audience, and launched the careers of many of its stars, including Rashid, Douglas Lim, Joanna Bessey, and Lina Teoh.
It remains the yardstick for all locally produced sitcoms that came after to be measured against.
Rashid’s talent has led to roles in drama series such as “I-Tanggang: Mother of All Lies” and films such as “The Big Durian”, “Waris Jari Hantu”, and “Sangkar”.
He was a sportscaster for ESPN’s SportsCenter Asia and a sought-after emcee at corporate functions.
These days, he is busy as the chief executive officer of Toucan Media, a company that produces content for TV and social media.
In a way, Rashid has come full circle career-wise. He has directed the first-ever Iban-language sitcom "Tembawai Kanyuk", a series that will break down barriers by putting the spotlight on one of the largest communities in Sarawak.
“The experience with ‘Kopitiam’ was unique in every sense which I feel is incomparable and I think much has already been documented about it being that one show which transcended across all Malaysians.
“However, with ‘Tembawai Kanyuk’, I practically utilised all the knowledge that was gained from ‘Kopitiam’ and other projects I was involved in.
“I also shared all that I gained and the mistakes I made with the cast and crew. It was a rewarding process to be able to be involved with another unique project in my own backyard. That’s priceless.
“So in some ways, yes, I have come full circle but it is more of being in a position to pass on that knowledge that I gained from the past.“
Life in a longhouse committee
“Tembawai Kanyuk” is said to be a reality-type TV series set in a longhouse. However, it turns out to be much more than that.
“It is, essentially, a mishmash of a mockumentary and sitcoms such as ‘The Office’ and ‘Modern Family’. It revolves around the lives of a longhouse committee. It is not a full-blown laugh-a-minute comedy show but more of a slow burner.
“The episodes become crazier as the season progresses and the beauty of it all is that the audience gets a glimpse of how a longhouse operates as well as Iban kampung life, albeit in a comical fashion.”
Rashid pointed out that there is no other show like it out there and the fact that it is exclusively about the Iban community will make it more interesting to the audience.
“Tembawai Kanyuk” originally started off as a radio show. Adapting it into a TV series would not have been easy.
In May 2021, Chai Koh Khai, the show’s executive producer and co-director, along with Alwyn Tay, the show’s producer, approached Rashid in regard to this TV show they were planning to do.
“Chai explained to me the concept and got me excited about it. I didn’t realise what I was getting into but he convinced me with his enthusiasm and the energy he exhibited. It got me hooked on this project.
“The two main creators and writers, Stonton James (who plays Mujap in the series) and Ken Michael (Bunyau) had the show running for a decade on the radio.
“Adapting it to television was a massive undertaking. It involved converting radio performers into actors.
“Throughout the rehearsal process, we had to create visual representations of the characters,” Rashid explained.
He said the actors needed to be taught basic acting skills such as blocking and facial expressions.
“The crew were also inexperienced but we managed to work through that together and I must say, Sarawakians are resilient.
“To cut a long story short, it was utterly challenging but kudos to the cast and crew for being able to get through this and still come out in one piece,“ Rashid said proudly.
Actors from original radio show
The pandemic delayed the production but they stuck to their plans and produced it this year.
All the episodes were shot within eight days and, during the interview, they were in the post-production stage.
Other than the actors from the original radio show, auditions were held for supporting roles.
When asked if he would be making an appearance in the series, Rashid laughed and said, “My hand, foot, and I have a brief cameo in one or two of the episodes.”
Thanks to streaming services, viewers are spoilt for choice when it comes to content. Shows in various languages are finding favour with audiences who turn to subtitles to enjoy the content.
The Spanish series “The Heist” and Korean hit series “Squid Game” were both enjoyed globally, proving that viewers were more interested in a good story no matter what language the characters speak.
“Tembawai Kanyuk” could not come at a better time and the language barrier should not be a problem for non-Iban speaking audiences.
“I feel it’s more about giving audiences options on the type of content available. I mean, we all used to, at one time or another in the past, watch Tamil movies on Saturday afternoons, Latin telenovelas with out-of-sync Malay voice-overs.
“So it’s not a new concept. Being able to see it on streaming platforms makes it easier for audiences to access this content from any part of the world and I guess, that is the beauty of it all.”
“Tembawai Kanyuk” will premiere on June 1 over TVS (TV Sarawak) and coincides with the Hari Gawai holidays in Sarawak.
When asked how he plans to celebrate this annual festival, Rashid explained, “Hari Gawai (as well as Ka’amatan in Sabah) is always more meaningful when celebrated at home in Borneo.”
“I feel this year will be special as families can finally gather together after experiencing pains of isolation due to the pandemic these past few years. I plan to hide away from it all though!” he said in jest.
As for his career progression, Rashid said, “One shouldn’t pigeonhole oneself into a particular skill or industry. I love to keep learning new things and that is what keeps me going. This is what keeps me on my toes!”
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