A career in radio, on TV, stage and in movies spanning more than five decades earned Teoh the nickname of "Voice of Malaysia", bestowed by his fans and the Malaysian mass media.
[1] After high school, Teoh remained in Ipoh and became a life insurance and encyclopaedia salesman working on commission for a few years.
At the end of the three months, he was allowed to work in the studio during non-peak hours, where his primary duty was to press buttons to air pre-recorded programmes.
A few years later, Teoh was made the Divisional Manager for 'Sound and Film Services', a division set up by Rediffusion to tap into the advertising industry.
Teoh, who was then earning up to six times his salary in voice-over fees disagreed with the new terms, and resigned from Rediffusion having been there for more than a decade.
The government introduced a 'Made in Malaysia' ruling: 65% of the elements in commercials meant to be aired over electronic media had to be of Malaysian origin, or Malaysian-made.
At this point of his career, arguably 90% of English advertisements aired over Malaysian electronic media were voiced by Teoh.
It was at this point that Teoh distinctive baritone and clean, crisp diction earned him the moniker the "Voice of Malaysia".
He wound up multiplying his initial sound and light show six times becoming the largest mobile disco entrepreneur in the country.
Teoh, alongside Mahadzir Lokman, Wan Zaleha Radzi, Robert Lam, and Caryn Lim were hired to be newscasters for the then-new TV3 in 1985, whose coverage at that time was limited to the Klang Valley.
Teoh mentioned that Caryn was leaving the station, then stood up and gave her a friendly farewell peck on her cheek.
When he approached his editor about his reduced time on air, he was informed that from the following month onwards, his services would no longer be required.
It was the first time in Malaysian history that everyday listeners were allowed to air their views on live national radio.