Oxbridge Public Speaking Competition 2010 (Preliminary & Semi-Final)

The preliminary and semi-final stages of the Sunway University College Public Speaking Competition, an exciting annual event of English oratory excellence, was held on April 17, 2010, at the Bandar Sunway campus. This competition was opened to secondary school students from Form 4 and 5, and this year, it attracted about 100 participants from 52 schools all over Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh.

In the initial round, students were given the chance to impress the judges with a 4-minute prepared speech on the open-ended topic, What is always on my mind. Following a short break, they then faced the true test of their public speaking mettle, the 3-minute impromptu elocution. Students had to think on their feet, articulating opinions spontaneously on topics drawn randomly from an envelope.

During the preliminary rounds, some students managed to charm the judges with suave eloquence while some with their sheer determination and sincerity. A few multi-talented ones even showed off their singing skills.

After some deliberations by the judges, Margaret Hall, the Organising Chairperson representing the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia, announced the 12 semi-finalists who then went on to dazzle the audience with their wits in another round of 3-minute impromptu speeches each on the topic, Family matters. A few of the speakers even had the judges in stitches which is always a good sign.

In order of appearance, the semi-finalists were:

Vishnu Arvindran (SMK Taman Jasmin 2)
Nicholas Lim (SMJK Katholik, Petaling Jaya)
Afeeq Shaswan Bin Zambre (SM Alam Shah, Putrajaya)
Loo Han Rong (Chong Hwa Independent School, Kuala Lumpur)
Daniel Ong Ying Yao (SMK Damansara Jaya)
Prasant Nambiar (SMK LaSalle, Petaling Jaya)
Roshni George (SMK Seafield, Subang Jaya)
Joash Nicholas Ong (SMK Sultan Abdul Samad, Petaling Jaya)
Daniel Rajasingam (SMK Sultan Abdul Samad, Petaling Jaya)
Kailash A/L Kalaiarasu (SMK St. John, Kuala Lumpur)
Goh Chin Ying (SMK (P) Methodist, Klang)
Marissa Law Jun Yi (SMK USJ 4, Subang Jaya)

The judges for the semi-final were Simon Marshall and Darina Yusof representing the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia, Jeanette Lim and Leonard Chin for Sunway University College, with Dr. Stephen Hall, head of the Language and Compulsory Subjects Centre of Sunway University College, presiding as Chief Judge.

All 12 semi-finalists were awarded Certificates of Commendation and six were selected to compete in the Final scheduled on June 26, 2010. In no particular order, the finalists are:

Vishnu Arvindran (SMK Taman Jasmin 2)
Nicholas Lim (SMJK Katholik, Petaling Jaya)
Loo Han Rong (Chong Hwa Independent School, Kuala Lumpur)
Daniel Ong Ying Yao (SMK Damansara Jaya)
Nicholas Ong (SMK Sultan Abdul Samad, Petaling Jaya)
Kailash A/L Kalaiarasu (SMK St. John, Kuala Lumpur)

The winner of the Sunway University College Public Speaking Competition 2010 stands a chance to win an Oxbridge and Sunway University College Bursary for full tuition fee waiver (Pre-university programmes/American Degree Transfer Program/diploma programmes), an individual trophy and an individual cash prize worth RM600.00.

The Sunway University College Public Speaking Competition is jointly organised by Sunway University College, and the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia.