He captured the spirit of listeners with a non-divisive and rather hypnotising voice, much like warming up a cold, wet day.
His authoritative, warm and mellifluous delivery over radio and television left a lasting impact on Malaysians from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Malays were particularly proud that one of their own read news and hosted informative programmes in English in a confident-sounding voice, with excellent diction.
Yahya and the other presenters of Radio Malaysia’s English service played good music, discussed current affairs and encouraged people of all races to speak and understand proper English.
They were widely loved and their on-air styles were imitated as they became influential in the cultural life of the nation.
Yahya took to “teaching” English on the streets through his 1960s radio show, “This Is Your Life” that encouraged taxi, bus, lorry and train drivers, hawkers and labourers, among others, to talk in English about the joy of their jobs.
The distinguished gentleman, who turns 83 on Feb 19, still commands the tone and tenor that made newsreading a solemn profession, one that didn’t lend itself to dramatisation.
Speaking to FMT on the occasion of World Radio Day today, Yahya said he was disappointed that proficiency in the English language among newsreaders now was lacking.
He further bemoaned that the relaxed pace of newsreading of his time was no more.
“Sometimes, I don’t understand what they say and some of them sound as if they are in a rush to catch the train,” said Yahya, a stickler for accuracy and correct pronunciation.
He said during his era, presenters were responsible for each word that was broadcast and “we had to keep our voice fairly flat so as not to dramatise news.”
Melaka-born Yahya found his niche in the broadcast booth at Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) in 1966 at the urging of a fellow teacher, the late Mokhtar Daud, who is the father of Azman Mokhtar, the chairman of Tabung Haji.
“When I left teaching and joined RTM Melaka, I took that as an indicator of what life had planned for me,” said Yahya.
Yahya had a head start in broadcasting when he was at Brinsford Lodge, the Malayan Teachers’ Training College in England, from 1958 to 1960.
He said he had speech training while working part-time with BBC World Service where “I learned much about talking to people and not to bring moods or trouble into the studio”.
At RTM, his charm and eloquence got him reading news in English and Malay daily over radio and twice a week over television.
Additionally, Yahya did political and sports commentaries, and spun 45 rpm records on his 11pm, hour-long “Saturday Night Ride” show that was popular with women.
He recalled his coverage of the 21-hour stopover in Malaysia of Lyndon B Johnson in 1966 when questions lingered over why the US president was visiting the country which unlike other countries in his Pacific tour had no military links with the US.
He had to tell Malaysians why Johnson was visiting Malaysia when it did not commit any troops to the Vietnam conflict or was not represented at the seven-nation Manila Summit that sought peace and freedom in the Asia-Pacific region.
It came down to a simple thank you gesture by the White House which held that staunchly anti-communist Malaysia had from the start backed US policy on Vietnam.
In sports, Yahya captured the anxiety of an entire nation as he described the spectator trouble that unfolded during the Thomas Cup badminton final between Malaysia and Indonesia in 1967.
Reporting live from Senayan Stadium in Jakarta, Yahya did not overplay the mayhem as Malaysia was still reeling from the effects of the two-year Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation that ended in 1965.
He said the Malaysian team who eventually won the abandoned game 6-3 were “absolute heroes” who lifted the spirit of the nation.
Yahya was a sought-after master of ceremonies, having over the decades enlivened the atmosphere at numerous events, including high protocol ones hosting global leaders and royalty.
He said his most memorable compering was during Queen Elizabeth’s visits to Kuala Lumpur in 1989 and 1998 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the Commonwealth Games respectively.
After his retirement from RTM, Yahya joined Pos Malaysia in 1990 as group manager (public relations) and during his five-year stint there continued newsreading.
Yahya is married to a Baba Nyonya. Her name is Hajah Nyonya Ali nee Cherie Lim Goh Neo, a former teachers’ training college lecturer who will be 78 this year.
They live in Shah Alam with their daughter, Farah, and her family and have four sons, 17 grandchildren and one great grandson.
Their son, Faizal, 56, said: “With our family having had cross-cultural marriages we are all colour blind and I have cousins who are of Indian, Portuguese and Dutch descent.
“We have a deep respect for other races and religions and often visit my grandfather’s grave in Bukit Cina, Melaka.”
Faizal, who is co-owner of a Ayamas chicken outlet in Seremban 2, said his father was still “the same old guy, a tough taskmaster but otherwise a loving family man.”
He said laughingly: “Whenever I speak to my father, I have to make sure that what I say is grammatically correct.”
How does Yahya keep himself busy these days? “I read, watch TV, meet friends and travel, but most importantly I find time for relaxation.”
He attributed his success in life to “calmly enjoying all my undertakings”, adding, “whatever job you do, always enjoy it.”