Kelantan’s kumpulan Arjuna Sakti Tops National Rukun Negara Sketch Competition

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- Kumpulan Arjuna Sakti from SMK Tanah Merah 1, Kelantan was declared the winner of the 2023 National Rukun Negara Sketch Competition organised by the Department of Information (JaPen) for the Malaysiaku Club category.

JaPen in a statement today said that the national secondary school group presented a story-telling sketch entitled ‘Tok Belantara’ to win the top cash prize of RM6,000, a trophy, a plaque and a certificate of participation.

Kumpulan Anak Seni Teater Ghafar Baba (of SMK Ghafar Baba of Masjid Tanah, Melaka) with the sketch ‘Pohon Lima’, were chosen as runners-up while third place went to Kumpulan Citra Harmoni (SMK Datuk Haji Abdul Kadir of Kepala Batas, Penang) with the sketch entitled ‘Jalinan Perpaduan’.

For the special category of people with disabilities (OKU), Kumpulan G19 from the Special Integrated Education Programme (PPKI) (SMK Seksyen 19, Shah Alam, Selangor) with the sketch ‘Aku Anak Malaysia’, were selected as the winners, taking home a trophy, RM3,000 cash, plaque and certificate.

Kumpulan Seri Pepatih (PPKI SMK Seremban 2, Negeri Sembilan) with the sketch ‘Ikrar Keramat’ were picked as runners-up while third place went to Kumpulan Sejiwa (PPKI SMK Jawi, Sungai Jawi, Penang) with a sketch entitled ‘Rukun Negara Kunci Perpaduan Rakyat Malaysia’.

“The competition, which is a face-to-face communication activity with the concept of acting and story-telling, aims to increase understanding and appreciation of the Rukun Negara as well as instilling a spirit of unity among students of various races and ages, especially members of the Malaysiaku Club.

“This competition is the best platform provided by JaPen in delivering information and national messages in addition to building a strategic network between JaPen and youth, especially high school students,” the statement said.

According to JaPen, the competition themed on the Rukun Negara was carried out on JaPen Facebook Live for the states involved on Nov 27.

The jury of the competition carried out judging today using a hybrid method, namely face-to-face at Anjung@32 at the Ministry of Communication and Digital (KKD) Complex in Putrajaya and JaPen’s Facebook Live.

“Professional judges evaluated the delivery and story-telling techniques of the participating groups within the allotted 15 minutes based on criteria such as factual accuracy and originality of the work, the Rukun Negara’s national message and the ability to empathise with the characters.

“Participants were also judged through the apt and elegant use of language in addition to appropriate acting, costumes and props.

“The performances were judged by a professional jury (80 per cent) and the Facebook Likes (20 per cent),” said the statement.

The Rukun Negara Sketch Contest was first held at the state level in 2012 and expanded to the national level in 2019.

-- BERNAMA