Kuala lumpur: Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and Astro have made history by jointly organising a special concert to celebrate this year's Deepavali. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching announced that the concert, themed 'Titikkum Deepavali Kondattam', represents a significant milestone in collaboration between public and private broadcasting sectors, featuring local artistes.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Teo emphasized the positive impact of this partnership, which brings together a government entity and a private company to showcase local talents and celebrate cultural diversity. She expressed her hopes that the concert would serve as a meaningful gift for those celebrating Deepavali. The announcement was made during a press conference where Astro's vice president of Indian Customer Business, Prem Anand, was also present.

The concert was recorded on September 20 at Auditorium Seri Angkasa, Angkasapuri, and is scheduled to air simultaneously on RTM's TV2 and Astro Vinmeen (Channel 202) on October 21 at 9 pm. It will highlight the performances of 70 local talents, including popular singers like Darkkey, Balan Kash, Santesh, and Zubir Khan. Renowned Indian singer Srinivas will make a special appearance, adding to the concert's appeal.

A unique feature of this collaboration is the inclusion of radio presenters from Tamil-language stations Raaga and Minnal FM, who will share the stage for the first time. Teo noted that such partnerships demonstrate the value of sharing resources and expertise to enhance local productions. She acknowledged the competitive nature of the media industry but highlighted the potential for collaboration to create something greater for audiences.

Looking to the future, Teo suggested that similar collaborations could extend into other areas, including sports. She expressed optimism about exploring further opportunities for partnerships, indicating a willingness to discuss new ideas that could benefit the community.