INTERNATIONAL DEBATE IS TO SHOWCASE BAHASA MALAYSIA TO THE WORLD

PUTRAJAYA, March 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak said
the government organising the Prime Minister's Trophy International Bahasa
Malaysia Debate is to showcase Bahasa Malaysia as a language of culture and
civilisation to the world community.

The Prime Minister said the effort was one form of globalising a noble
culture and civilisation as Malaysia wanted to ensure the phenomena of
globalisation need not be one directional, from the west to the east, but could
also be the other way round.

"The efforts and success in organising such a debate is very meaningful and
shows the ability of the government to join the globalisation wave.

"Our participation in this globalisation wave does not mean we should be
engulfed by all forms of foreign influences whether in thinking, ideology,
culture or technology.

"The question is how we can be active and positive players in the
globalisation process," he said when officiating the finals of the debate
competition at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here
Friday night.

Also present was Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
A total of 56 participants from 51 countries competed in the debate which
entered its fourth edition this year.

It had started off as the Deputy Prime Minister's Trophy and after three
years, was elevated to the Prime Minister's Trophy.

Najib said he was proud to note that it was not only a debate competition in
Bahasa Malaysia at the international level but all aspects of it were handled in
the language itself.

He was also happy to note that participation had increased two-fold to more
than 50 countries since its inception in 2007 when only 23 countries took part.

As such, he said he hoped the competition would chalk even greater successes
in future.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled said the presence of some 65,000 foreign students
in Malaysian higher educational institutions augured well to expand the usage of
Bahasa Malaysia by the international community and that the ministry planned to
make it compulsory for them to learn Bahasa Malaysia as this would help increase
the number of speakers of the Malay language.

Malaysia's Mohd Syazwan Shuhaimi was named the winner in the Nusantara
category while China's Zhang Song emerged tops in the international category.

The two winners took home a cash prize of US$5,000 (RM17,000)and a challenge
trophy each.

Cambodia's Chai Lany Sles was the runner-up in the Nusantara category while
third place was won by Leonora Lydia Gebby Wentuk of Indonesia.

The runner-up in the international category was Natalya Budanova of Russia
while Josee Hunnekes of Germany took third place.

The runners-up and third place winners took home US$3,000 (RM10,000)and
US$2,000 (RM6,700) respectively. Eight participants qualified for the finals.
-- BERNAMA