15-year-olds bag top 2 places in essay contest
SUBANG JAYA: Besides that all important gift for words, a love for debating and keeping clued into local and world news helped two 15-year-old students walk away with the top prizes at the SunwayOxbridge Essay Competition prize-giving and certificate ceremony yesterday.
There were 3,763 entries, a 70 per cent increase from last year’s 2,205 entries, bringing the total number of entries received for the five years since the competition was held in 2013 to 13,740.
In this year’s competition, secondary school students were invited to submit original English essays on their vision for Malaysia in 2050 and their roles in achieving them.
The habit of reading newspapers helped Soh Zoh Lynn of SMK Bandar Damansara in Petaling Jaya take the top spot in Category A (Form One to Form Three students). She won RM5,000 and a Sunway bursary valued up to RM26,000.
She said her English teacher and parents encouraged her to take part in the competition.
“I read the newspapers to keep abreast of local and global issues. That is where I get my inspiration to write my essays,” she said at the prize-giving ceremony at Sunway University yesterday.
“I am also a debater, a role which has helped me think creatively and given me ideas.
“I wrote about how education is imperative for a healthy nation, healthcare, political transparency and how security is important.
“For example, being aware of nuclear threats from countries that are a danger to the world community.”
Category A second prize winner Hilman Irfan Hilmi of Kolej Melayu in Kuala Kangsar attributed his win to being up-todate on current affairs and world issues. He received RM3,000 and a Sunway bursary of RM15,000.
“To be honest, I just did what I do daily. I have an almanac at my dormitory, which I read every day. I am also a debater, so it is normal for me to know about world issues and current affairs.
“In my essay, I discussed harmful barriers in society, such as racial and social discrimination, environmental problems and the importance of a clean government.
“My teacher encouraged me to participate in the competition and I thought to myself, why not? I did not expect to win a prize.”
The competition was organised by the Sunway Group, Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia, Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, Sunway University and Monash University Malaysia, with the support of the Education Ministry and Sunway PALS.
There was no third place winner in Category A.
In the Form Four and Five group (Category B), there was no first place winner.
The second prize was awarded to N. Sujendra Kumar of SMK USJ12 in Subang Jaya. He took home RM3,000 and a Sunway bursary of RM15,000.
Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Kuala Kubu Baru’s Aaron Azree Kamarul Azman and SMK USJ 12 Jonathan Loh Kah Hoong tied for third place, winning RM1,000 and a Sunway Bursary worth RM10,000 each.
There were also 10 consolation prizes of RM500 and Sunway bursary of RM5,000 for both categories.