The Comic Artist of Bidan Muda from Lenggong
The 1950s was a golden era, a time when many were active in the art of comic illustration because the demand was extremely high. Since there were not many other sources of entertainment available—unlike today—comics were the only source of entertainment for society in Malaysia back then, as they were cheaper, easier, and more convenient to obtain.
There were many comic publications across various genres and types to meet the demands of our society at that time. Among the popular comic publishers of the past were Pustaka Antara, Sinaran Bros, The Sentosa Store Kuala Pilah, Geliga Limited, Melayu Raya Press, and many more. Furthermore, the public's craze for comics at the time indirectly contributed to the discovery of talent and the emergence of many new comic artists. With the arrival of new talents, each possessing their own potential and strengths, various genres of comics emerged, most of which featured storylines that were very engaging for their fans. Among the names of comic artists who were highly favored at that time were Alias Kulub, Osman Baru, Meor Shahriman Hassan (Mishar), Sulaiman Awang, Hussein Saad, Lat, Samudera Perwira, Shukor Lin, Rahman Bakree, Solihin Hj. Othman, A. Fauzi Yusof, and Hambia E. Returning to the story behind the artist of the comic Bidan Muda, which was once beloved by people of all ages in our country: for the information of our loyal orangperak.com readers, the artist of the Bidan Muda comic is a native of Kampung Raban, Lenggong, Perak. He is a respected comic artist named Abdul Halim Teh.
Abdul Halim Teh was born in Lenggong on the auspicious date of December 11, 1933. Originally, he began his career in drawing and comic storytelling in the mid-1950s. If you were unaware, Abdul Halim Teh first appeared in the comic art scene through the magazine HIBORAN, published by Harmy in Singapore. Interestingly, Abdul Halim Teh also worked as an artist at Pustaka Antara, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Sinaran Bros Sdn Bhd, and FELDA. Many of his works were published by Pustaka Antara in Kuala Lumpur and Sinaran Bros, based in Penang. As his career progressed, Abdul Halim Teh emerged as an important figure in the history of Malay comic art in Malaysia.
His work found a place among comic fans and enthusiasts. The most famous series he wrote and illustrated is titled Keris Berpuaka, which was published in 11 volumes by Sinaran Bros, and he remained popular ever since its publication. The Bidan Muda comic was also published by Sinaran Bros, and unexpectedly, the Bidan Muda comic series is preserved at the National Library of Malaysia in the form of 6 black-and-white microfiches, published using old spelling and containing 40 pages.
