Bank Negara Malaysia and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka have successfully organized the Piala Gabenor Speech Contest, fostering the use of the national language within the financial sector. The event witnessed a competitive final round with participants addressing financial education and current economic issues while adhering to challenging speech criteria.
8 August 2023 – In a concerted effort to elevate the stature of the national language within the financial sector, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) have successfully hosted the final round of the Piala Gabenor Bank Negara Malaysia Speech Contest at Sasana Kijang on August 7, 2023.
Despite a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Piala Gabenor contest attracted over 60 entries from 24 financial institutions during the preliminary round. Notably, the chosen theme among participants was Financial Education.
The final leg of the competition saw eight participants representing six financial institutions delivering their speeches. The victor of this year’s Piala Gabenor Speech Contest was Muhammad Za’im bin Mohamad Yusoff from Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, with his speech titled “Sustainable Finance: Catalyst for a Resilient Economy.” The runner-up position was secured by Mohamad Amirul Hafiz bin Mohamad Hassan from MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd, while third place was awarded to Syafi’ah Na’imah binti Samsuddin from Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Berhad.
The esteemed winner of the Piala Gabenor received a cash prize of RM10,000 along with the Round Trophy. The runner-up was awarded RM7,000, and the third-place contender received RM5,000. All winners also received accompanying trophies, participation certificates, and publications from DBP.
Dato’ Marzunisham Omar, Deputy Governor of BNM, praised the concerted efforts of BNM and DBP in elevating the national language’s role within the financial sector. He remarked, “This competition stands as an initiative to cultivate the use of high-quality national language within the financial institution community. A language that is eloquent, clear, and easily comprehensible will elevate financial literacy among the populace, enabling them to make informed financial decisions.”
Dr. Hazami Jahari, Chief Director of DBP, added, “The banking, financial, and insurance sectors are pivotal entities that drive economic growth and national development. Beyond economic aspects, the hallmark of a civilized nation is further enriched by nurturing the values of self-development. This aligns with Bank Negara Malaysia’s unwavering commitment to organizing the Piala Gabenor Speech Contest, which draws participation from diverse institutions within the financial sector, showcasing their dedication to uplifting the national language. The participants’ resilience, confidence, and eloquence in articulating their ideas sustain the prominence of the national language as a language of knowledge.”
Throughout the final stage, participants adeptly tackled the speech contest’s renewed challenges introduced this year. Notable innovations included granting participants the freedom to craft their own speech topics within five designated themes. Additionally, participants were required to deliver impromptu speeches in response to questions posed by the judges. Through well-constructed arguments, contestants showcased persuasive skills and insightful ideas while addressing current financial and economic issues.
Since its inception in 2009 through collaboration with DBP, the Piala Gabenor Speech Contest has now been successfully held for the 12th time. After its last occurrence in 2019, the contest was revived this year, with preliminary and final rounds conducted on August 2 and August 7, 2023, respectively. Since its inception, the Piala Gabenor has drawn over 650 participants from the financial sector, who have delivered over 100 speeches on various current financial sector issues.
