Malay Language Bridges Cultures At ASEAN+ Poetry Competition

By Nurhafizah Tan

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- Imperfect pronunciation did not stand in the way of a group of young participants from China, Russia and several ASEAN countries as they delivered Malay-language poetry with confidence, underscoring the language’s ability to transcend cultural boundaries and unite youth.

The participants took part in the ASEAN + China and Russia Youth Artistic Poetry Competition 2026, where they performed works themed “Universal Voices of Humanity”, using Malaysia’s national language to convey messages of peace, unity and shared human values.

Held today at Wesley Methodist School Kuala Lumpur (International) in collaboration with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and the Malaysian Poets Association (PEMUISI), the event highlighted how differences in nationality, culture and language did not prevent participants from embracing Malay literature and poetry.

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Among them was 21-year-old Thai participant Muhammad Che Din Abdul Manaf, who said his biggest challenge during the two-week training period was adapting to standard Malay, having previously been more accustomed to the Pattani dialect.

“It was quite a challenge because in this competition we had to learn formal Malay pronunciation with clear diction,” said the Prince of Songkla University student, who used the stage to highlight the suffering of people in Gaza. 

Another participant, 20-year-old Zhang Yanhan from China, said her strong interest in Malaysian culture motivated her to study Malay at Sichuan International Studies University two years ago.

“I really like Malaysian culture. For me, the best way to understand a different society is to learn its language,” she said, adding that lecturers and friends had helped her improve her pronunciation.

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Russian participant Anna Kuwata, 15, said the greatest challenge was not memorising the poetry but managing her emotions on stage.

“I think it was sometimes the stress would kind of make me forget my lines, and I had to make sure my emotions were regulated at all times,” said Anna, who began learning Malay while studying in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Deputy National Unity Minister R. Yuneswaran said the participation of contestants from other countries demonstrated that the Malay language carries cross-border value and can serve as a unifying medium for youth through arts and culture.

“This shows that the Malay language is also easy to learn, and it is encouraging to see ASEAN countries recognising its importance,” he said.

The competition, which brought together more than 20 participants from six countries, saw Malaysia emerge as champion, followed by Indonesia in second place and China in third.

-- BERNAMA