Double Victory for IIUM Pagoh on the Last Friday of August

By, Muhammad Hafiz Zhafri bin Abd Kamal

PAGOH, 29 August 2025: The last Friday of August turned into a historic day for IIUM Pagoh when two of its outstanding talents from the Department of Arabic Language, Kulliyyah of Languages and Management (KLM), clinched double championships in two separate national-level competitions — both held on the same day.

1. Poetry Triumph — Muhammad Hanif bin Naim

Muhammad Hanif bin Naim, an academic trainee at the Department of Arabic Language, KLM IIUM Pagoh, and a PhD candidate in Arabic Communication, emerged as Champion of the SUARASA Merdeka Poetry Recital Competition 2025, organised by the Batu Pahat District Youth Council in conjunction with Malaysia’s National Month celebrations.

The competition began with 27 participants during the preliminary round (25 August), with only the top five advancing to the grand finale at Pusat Pembangunan Belia Negeri Johor, Batu Pahat, on 29 August. Hanif impressed the judges with his self-written poem “Api Semarak yang Gosong”, which embodied the spirit of patriotism and resilience.

Remarkably, despite being heavily occupied with his PhD research, Hanif took less than two days to memorise his text and prepare for the competition. Driven by a deep sense of patriotism and love for the nation, he accepted this challenge as a way to inspire fellow members of IWON Pagoh to strive for excellence.

This victory marks his second championship, as he had also won the same competition in 2022, further cementing his reputation as a consistent voice in patriotic poetry.

2. Oratory Glory — Imran Husaini

On the very same evening, in Alor Setar, Imran Husaini raised the IIUM Pagoh banner high when he was crowned Champion of the Spontaneous Speech Competition (Category 3) under the Explorasi Negarawan Malaysia 2025 programme at Masjid Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra.

His winning speech, entitled “3 Promises, One Betrayed Trust”, captivated both judges and audience with its sharp delivery and powerful conviction. The victory was especially meaningful as Imran, who had placed third in last year’s edition, this time surpassed even his own coach — the defending champion.

His success stands as a testament to perseverance, resilience, and the power of mentorship that builds legacies beyond individual triumph.

Both champions, Hanif and Imran, share not only the same department — Arabic Language — but also the same winning date, 29 August 2025. This coincidence underscores the academic and co-curricular excellence of IIUM Pagoh students, who continue to embody the university’s ethos of nurturing the “Generation of Thinkers.”

Congratulations to both champions, who have brought pride and honour to IIUM Pagoh, proving that language and oratory remain powerful tools of expression, identity, and nation-building.

As we rejoice in this double victory, we at IWON IIUM Pagoh would also like to extend our heartfelt wishes to the entire IIUM community on the occasion of Malaysia’s 68th Independence Day. May this celebration remind us of the sacrifices of our forefathers, strengthen our unity as ummah, and inspire every student to uphold the values of knowledge, integrity, and service for the nation.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!***