Sri KDU lass vies for world title

Congratulations: Heidi (centre) flanked by Nicholas (left) and Aidan Iskandar.

HEIDI Ilyana Azmyudin Raj will be representing Malaysia at the English Speaking Union (ESU) International Public Speaking Competition.

The Sri KDU Secondary School, Kota Damansara, student, who beat 60 others to emerge champion at the national finals at Taylor’s College, Subang, on April 23, will be up against 33 others representing their respective nations when the international finals kick off tomorrow.

Held virtually, the international finals will end on May 13.

In the last two decades that the country has taken part in the ESU international competition, Malaysians have won the world title twice, with Marina Tan in 2012 and Pavit Coran in 2021.

Taylor’s College campus director Josephine Tan said the public speaking competition serves as an important training ground for youths to polish, hone and test their abilities to effectively communicate their thoughts and ideas to an audience.

ESU Malaysia chairman and chief judge Tunku Dara Tunku Tan Sri Naquiah Tuanku Ja’afar added that while English is widely used, many tend to shudder and stammer when it comes to public speaking.

ESU Malaysia, she said, aims to help students enhance their skills and bring out the best in their public speaking performance.

“English is the most important language in the world and is spoken by half of the world’s population.

“If one does not understand or speak the language, how is one supposed to communicate effectively?”

Nicholas Lim Yi Zheng of Epsom College, and Aidan Iskandar Adlan Disney of Kolej Tuanku Jaafar, came in second and third, respectively.

The trio, who presented speeches based on the theme “We expect too much from our heroes”, received a total of RM3,000 for their effort, ESU Malaysia said in a press release.