Putrajaya - Fifty-two participants from 42 countries will vie for the Deputy Prime Minister‘s Trophy in an International Malay Elocution Contest at the Putra World Trade Centre from February 17 to 24.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said there was encouraging response for the second edition of the contest, from only 35 countries when it was held last year.
He said the contest would be opened by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and telecast live over RTM 1 on February 22.
"We hope to promote the Malay language to the world through this contest, besides providing an opportunity for foreign students to learn the Malay language and culture," he told a press conference after a meeting with the deputy prime minister here Monday.
The contest, themed "Internationalisation of the Malay Language", is jointly organised by the Higher Education Ministry, Education Ministry, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry, Information Ministry and Tourism Ministry.
According to Mustapa, the contest is divided into two categories - the Malay Archipelago, involving participants from countries with Malay as their first language, and International for university students from other countries.
The winner in each category will receive cash of RM10,200, a challenge trophy and other prizes, while the second and third placed winner will get RM6,800 and RM3,400 respectively.
Countries which have confirmed their participation include the United States, China, Japan, Argentina, South Korea, Australia, Russia, France, Germany, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Mustapa said that until last year, 129 universities in 40 countries offered Malay studies.
He said there was increasing interest among students in other countries to learn the Malay language following the setting up of four Malay study chairs, namely at Ohio University in the United States, Foreign Studies University in Beijing, China, Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand and Leiden University in the Netherlands.
"Last week, the Cabinet approved the setting up of another Malay study chair, which is at Hankuk University in South Korea, and we are in the process of setting up a chair at Madras University in India," he added.
Source: www.bernama.com (13 Februari 2008)
