A student from China, Xu Yang, has been crowned the champion of the Prime Minister’s Cup Malay Language International Speech Competition 2018 for the international student category.

Xu, who is taking a course in the Bahasa Malaysia at the Guangdong Study of Foreign Languages University, beat two others in the finals tonight held at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin.

International Islamic University Malaysia student Muhammad Syahmi Akif Jamili emerged triumphant in the Malay world category. This category is for five Asean nations – Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei – where Malay is widely used.

The 12th edition of the competition was witnessed by Education Minister Maszlee Malik, who also gave away the prizes.

A total of 50 people from 31 countries took part in the competition, themed 'The internationalisation of the Malay language,' with only nine making it to the finals.

Aurore Jeannot of France (Halu Oleo University, Indonesia) came in second in the international category, followed by Leon Woltermann of Germany (Hamburg University, Germany).

In the Malay world category, Huda Ahmad of Thailand (Sheikh Daud Al-Fatani Yala Islamic University, Thailand) came in second, while Malaysia’s Adam Muhammad Taufiq Mohamad Suharto (Universiti Teknologi Mara) finished third.

Sajarah Mohd Ali of Cambodia (UniSZA) was crowned champion in the international student in Malaysia category. Coming in second was Nafisa Mayukh of Bangladesh (IIUM), followed by Mahad Mohamed of the United Kingdom (Universiti Malaysia Perlis).

The champions of each category received the Prime Minister’s Cup, an accompanying trophy, RM10,000 cash and a certificate.

The runners-up each took home an accompanying trophy and RM8,000, while the third-placed winners each received an accompanying trophy and RM5,000.

'Malay as uniting force'

Meanwhile, Maszlee said in his speech said that Malay has a big role in uniting the people in the country.

He likened those who took part in the competition as mini-ambassadors who could empower the language in their own countries.

Earlier, Maszlee had said that the creation of the Standard Malay Language Framework developed by national language experts would be a big boost to the speakers of the Malay language in the context of culture and language aspirations.

“The Education Ministry will be a key player in ensuring the creation of the framework with the help of experts and related agencies.

“It is crucial to ensure the Malay language is of scientific nature and consistent as well as become the main reference for the world and one day be one of the official languages at the United Nations,” he said.

Also present at the competition, which was being held for the first time at the institution of higher learning and outside the Klang Valley, were Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, Education Ministry secretary-general Dr Mohd Gazali Abas and about 2,000 students.

- Bernama