"Any organisation that employs Robert will be able to rely on someone who is ambitious but loyal, quick to seize advantage though he remains a boy of Christian integrity."

(Reference letter from King’s College, South Australia dated December 7, 1963.)

"I can recommend him as a conscientious, willing and able lad.”

(Reference letter from King’s College, South Australia headmaster R. A. Cook dated November 27, 1963.)

"He is a boy of sound morals, faultless manners and exemplary conduct.”

(Reference letter from King’s College, South Australia Housemaster G. D. Coldwell dated December 9, 1963.)

"He will be a most decided asset to any organisation.”

(Letter from ADS Channel 7 program manager Neville Thomson dated April 9 1965.)

"His programs have shown that he possesses not only an above average command of production techniques but also a highly developed imagination which is so necessary for the implementation of original ideas in program production.”

(Letter from TV Singapore assistant director of broadcasting programs C. V. Doral dated June 7, 1967.)

"Robert’s presence in this department is like a breath of fresh air blowing through a window that has suddenly been opened…I want it known that we are losing a young man who may one day soon find himself a place among the top producers in Asia and sincerely believing this I say: Isn’t it a great pity!”

(Letter from TV Singapore controller TV V. C. Palmer dated April 25, 1967.)

"You have produced an excellent program”

(Letter of acknowledgement from TV Singapura executive producer (TV) Zain Mahmood dated February 21, 1967.)

"You are joining one of the most interesting television projects in the world…”

(Employment letter from TVB General Manager Colin Bednall dated May 24, 1967. The TVB board of directors included Mr Run Run Shaw, who was later knighted for his contributions to broadcasting. Original shareholders included NBC International, ABC Television, Time-Life Broadcast and Anglia Television.)

"I note with great regret that you have decided to leave our service for personal reasons. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for all your unstinting efforts over the past years which have done so much to benefit this company.”

(Letter from TVB managing director Andrew Eu dated October 25, 1973.)

"Bloody Hell – These words remind us of you,”

(From a wall plaque given to Robert Chua by work mates at Hong Kong’s TVB in 1973)

"It was while at TVB, where he conceived the idea for the top rating Enjoy Yourself Tonight, that he earned the title `Golden Boy.’ Everything he touched was successful.”

(Hong Kong TV Times April 11, 1975.)

"The reactions so far range from hysterically happy to deliriously delighted.”

(Noel Parrot commenting on the new `Robert Chua Presents’ music TV show, Hong Kong TV Times April 11, 1975.)

"It will go down in my memory as one of the truly spectacular events I have ever seen in Hong Kong.”

(Hong Kong Government assistant financial secretary D. J. Duncan Smith commenting on Robert’s production of the November 1977 Silver Jubilee pageant to celebrate the 25th year in office of the British Queen Elizabeth. In a letter dated November 22, 1977.)

"A Singapore an with absolutely no financial backing, he nonetheless made the grade in Hong Kong. His achievement is part of the history of broadcasting not only in Hong Kong but also in Asia. As a friend, I am happy, and as a fellow citizen, I am proud of him.”

(Letter from Fong Sip Chee, Singapore Minister of State for Culture dated May 20, 1981.)

"Robert Chua is a visionary with an itch – and he somehow always finds a profitable way to scratch it.”

(Singapore’s New Nation newspaper, September 21, 1982)

 

"For someone who is youthful, urbane and eminently outstanding, it may just be a bit unfair on the rest of us lesser mortals that he is also always right and always first in his business ventures.”

(Singapore’s New Nation newspaper, September 21, 1982)

"Many years ago we had a young producer called Robert Chua. He worked for SBC (Singapore Broadcasting Corp) then went to Hong Kong and he produced the most successful entertainment magazine program Hong Kong has ever known and seen, which is called Enjoy Yourself Tonight. And today, copycats are found all around the world including Singapore.

I met him recently because he is starting a 24 hour TV channel in Chinese over satellite. I said, would you be interested if we were to take a stake in your company from SBC? He said, yes but provided SBC doesn’t control me. Robert Chua is very proud to be a Singaporean and his productions are not bad, they are not lewd, they are entertaining. But we cannot have a situation in SBC where we are so rigid, we drive out people like Robert Chua.

(1994 Speech to Parliament by Singapore Minister for Information and the Arts, Brigadier General George Yeo: reported in The Straits Times, March 16, 1994)

"He has the energy level of a nuclear reactor”

(John Dikkenberg in Asia Magazine, January 21, 1994.)

"Through much of the 1960s and 70s, Mr Chua was a wildly successful producer for Hong Kong television.”

(Asian Wall Street Journal, April 5, 1994.)