Duo vow to do country proud
BY CHOI TUCK WOLONDON: Malaysia’s Suraiya Abdul Munaff and Aw Yong Wai Nyan have pledged to do the country proud at the International Public Speaking Competition 2005 tomorrow.
Suraiya, 18, an A-Levels student from HELP University College and Aw, 20, a law student at ATC Kemayan, will be pitted against 63 other speakers from 37 countries in the heats on that day.
Only eight finalists – and only one from each country – will advance to the grand finals the same afternoon.
Suraiya and Aw, both from Kuala Lumpur, won an all-expense paid trip to London after clinching the top two spots in the English-Speaking Union of Malaysia’s (Esum) Public Speaking Competition last month.
Suraiya said she was excited and nervous about competing with so many speakers from different countries.
Aw said his main aim was to do his best while enjoying himself.
“London is beautiful. The first thing I thought when I stepped out of the plane is there’s no need for air-conditioners,” he said, referring to the 15°C weather when they touched down on Monday.
Competition convenor Helen Green said each participant would be given five minutes to speak on the theme “Differences and Diversity.”
She said the event was getting more competitive with an increasing number of speakers taking part since the first one in 1981.
“Ironically, non-native English speakers seemed to be doing better than their British counterparts, who are not as good in public speaking,” she said, referring to last year’s all non-British eight finalists.
The heats will be held at the headquarters of the English-Speaking Union (ESU) in Dartmouth House and the finals at Merchant Taylors’ Hall.
The speakers attended workshops and mock debates, watched The Woman in Black play at Fortune Theatre and visited HSBC Bank’s headquarters in Canary Wharf as part of the programme.
Organised by ESU to promote global understanding and friendship through English, the local competition in Malaysia was organised by The Star and Esum and co-sponsored by HSBC Bank Malaysia.
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