By Marina Lestari
GAMBANG, 6 December 2014: Two groups and one individual participant from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) won the top three finalists for The Malaysian Undergraduate Mandarin Song Singing Competition 2014 recently.
In November, IIUM sent four teams to Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) to compete in two categories of the inter-varsity singing competition. The competition known as The Malaysian Undergraduate Mandarin Song Singing Contest 2014 was held at Dewan Astaka, UMP Gambang, Pahang.
Other universities which participated in the competition were Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM).
The competition format splits participants from three different categories which are A1 (Chinese-Individual Category), A2 (Non-Chinese “ Individual Category) and B2 (Non-Chinese “ Group Category). However, IIUM only sent two out of three categories for participation which are for category A2 and B2. Four teams were sent to participate in both categories, A2 and B2.
During the semi-final, two teams from B2 category managed to go to the final. However, only one team for A2 passed the semi-final stage. The final result was announced at night which stated that one team for category B2 represented by Zuhairah (KENMS), Huda (KENMS) and Zakirah (KIRKHS) won the first place in The Malaysian Undergraduate Mandarin Song Singing Contest 2014, and the other team represented by three KIRKHS students majoring in Communication, Marina Lestari, Basir and Nisrina won the third place. Besides, Faiz Nurekhsan from KAED won the third place for category A2.
The IIUM teams were under the supervision of Dr. Poey Tiang Peow, a CELPAD lecturer who teaches Mandarin for level 1 until level 3. He was also the Head Jury for the Malaysian Undergraduate Mandarin Song Singing Contest 2014.
A member of SME Association of Malaysia in Pahang, Dato Sri Lee Jin Xian said: œ The achievement of the Malaysian Undergraduate Mandarin Song Singing Competition 2014 can be considered as one of the advancement in spreading Mandarin language and at the same time strengthening the bonding and relationship between others.
The Programme Manager for this event is Tan Tai Chuan who is also known as the programme manager for many programmes organised by Mandarin Language Society in UMP, and he stated that this programme is to enhance the Mandarin language to the non-Chinese students.
œNext year, we will grab all the first place for IIUM, said Basir, one of the participants for category B2.***