EXCITEMENT filled the air at the National Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening the Command of English (MBMMBI) Carnival 2024, with plenty of activities for both languages held at the Bahasa Melayu Campus, Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM), to kickstart the nationwide event.
Its rector Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad said IPGM strongly emphasises Bahasa Malaysia (BM) and English activities at all its campuses nationwide, with the ultimate goal that all IPGM teacher trainees become proficient in BM and confident in English regardless of their field of study and expertise.
“Language is part of culture,” he said in his speech at the launch of the carnival on Oct 24 in Kuala Lumpur.
Meant for different cultures and races, he said interactive activities were designed to benefit attendees and were geared towards making sure that they interacted in the languages.
Held over the two days at 27 IPGM campuses and English Language Training Centres (ELTC) nationwide, the carnival activities were held online and offline. Among the activities were:
> BM Poetry Competition
> BM Speech Competition
> BM Lyrical Poetry Competition
> BM Folk Song Singing Competition
> English Public Speaking Competition
> English Poetry Recitation Competition
> English Skit Competition
> English Vocal Ensemble Competition
> TikTok Competition (Categories: BM and English)
> Book Review Competition (Categories: BM and English)
> Book Cover Competition (Categories: BM and English)
Folk games, language games and other linguistic activities in the form of exhibitions and competitions from all corners of Malaysia were also on display for the visitors, especially school students, to experience.
Mohd Azam said the carnival also attracted visitors from private universities, including some from Kazakhstan.
“Communicating while playing games is a good way to practise speaking,” he said.
The aim of the carnival, he added, was to strengthen the proficiency of BM and English among the IPGM community; fuel language activities among them; preserve BM word-of-mouth treasures through competitions; and encourage the production of scientific and creative works among IPGM students and lecturers through book exhibitions.
IPGM has also popularised the concept of proper language culture in daily communication, not only in formal functions.
Among those who attended the launch of the carnival were IPGM teaching schools and schools around Bangsar and Pudu, KL.
The hope, he said, was that all the work done by IPGM, especially those related to teaching and learning innovations in BM, publication materials and MBMMBI activities, can be used as reference resources by visitors to the carnival.
