MELAKA: Siti Balqis Elias’ fatigue from a gruelling 5,650-kilometre journey from Beijing to Melaka was indeed rewarded as she triumphed in not just one but three categories at the prestigious Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Cup Rukun Negara National Oratory Competition, held here, yesterday.
The part-time radio announcer at Bernama Radio was surprised to be named the Overall Champion, Best Orator, and the winner under the Public category at the annual competition.
Siti Balqis who is living in Beijing with her husband said she did not do much preparation as they are in the middle of moving to China.
“I was excited to participate…Alhamdulillah everything worked out as we arrived in Malaysia for a vacation last week, allowing me to participate,” she told reporters after the competition.
The mother of one took home a cash prize of RM5,000 for her victory in the Public category, trophies and participation certificates for Best Orator and Overall Champion, presented to her by Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam.
Acknowledging her lack of experience in public speaking, Siti Balqis said being a housewife was not a barrier for her to take on the challenge of speaking in public in such a prestigious competition.
She outperformed 21 competitors across five categories: Primary School, Secondary School, Higher Education Institutions, Public, and Non-Malay.
State Health, Human Resources and Unity Committee chairman Ngwe Hee Sem said the annual event, which has been held since 2021, will continue as a platform for cultivating and improving the people’s understanding of the Federal Constitution.
“We are proud of this year’s participation, with 3,041 participants compared to 1,229 last year. It marks a significant increase in involvement from schools, universities, and the public,” he added. – BERNAMA
