11 November 2024, Kuala Lumpur: Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (Bank Pembangunan) on Monday hosted the finale of its 2024 Oratory Competition, a premier English public speaking event that empowered students from selected secondary schools to address critical global issues through the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The competition, supported by the Ministry of Education and co-organised with PINTAR Foundation, aims to enhance students’ communication skills, confidence, and awareness of challenges shaping the world, encouraging them to become proactive contributors to a sustainable future.
Out of 50 invited schools, 35 participated in online qualifying rounds from 1 to 3 October 2024. The top 15 students advanced to the finale, held at Menara Bank Pembangunan, Plaza Conlay, where they competed in prepared and impromptu speeches, followed by a Q&A session.
Finalists vied for First, Second, and Third Places, Consolation Prizes, and Best Orator, with all 15 evaluated on content, language, style, and Q&A responses by a panel of seven judges from the Ministry of Education Malaysia, BPMB, the British High Commission of Kuala Lumpur, Toastmasters Malaysia, and Yayasan MySDG. The prize-giving ceremony was attended by Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz.
Sainursalwa Sani, Chief Human Resource Officer of BPMB, commended the finalists’ speaking skills, noting that engaging with SDG topics not only builds communication abilities but also deepens students’ understanding of sustainable development in social, environmental, and economic areas.
“We believe this SDG-themed competition is a good platform for us to identify the talents of future leaders and change-makers among our participants today. The incorporation of SDG elements in this competition will give the participants a greater understanding of how important their contributions are across social, environmental and economic aspects. The time will come when they become leaders and change-makers holding influential positions in their respective fields and they will be directly responsible for ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come,” she said.
Introduced in 2023, the BPMB Oratory Competition marked a milestone as Malaysia’s first school-level event centred on SDG themes, providing students with a platform to explore and discuss pressing global issues. The event is part of BPMB’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, focused on community engagement and environmental awareness.
Beyond the competition, BPMB’s CSR efforts include sustainability education for students and meal programmes for the urban poor, focusing on Community Development, Financial Literacy, Environment, and Women Empowerment, aligned with the SDG 17.
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About Bank Pembangunan Malaysia
Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad was incorporated on 28 November 1973 as a development financial institution. Owned by Minister of Finance (Incorporated), Bank Pembangunan has been accorded the highest rating of ‘AAA’ by both RAM Rating Services Berhad and Malaysia Rating Corporation Berhad. It is regulated and supervised by Bank Negara Malaysia under the Development Financial Institution Act 2002.
With a Group Total Assets value of RM29.0 billion (as at 31 December 2023), Bank Pembangunan is well positioned to meet the financing and business development needs of Malaysian businesses.
For more information, please contact:
Nadirah H. Rodzi
Corporate Communications
Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad
ym.moc.bmpb@izdor.haridan
+6019-343 2120