PUTRAJAYA, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Judges of the Maybank Foundation – Perdana Leadership Foundation ‘Empowering Youth for a Better ASEAN’ Writing and Photo Contest 2020 are in for a tough time as the contest, themed “Climate Action”, attracted over 7,000 written and photographic submissions from young Malaysians as of its closing date of 30 November 2020.
 
Open to all Malaysians between the age of 13 and 23, the contest invited works of short fiction, essays, as well as photographs. Written entries range from dystopian sci-fi to serious reflections on environmental issues, while Instagram entries with the theme “Save the Environment” depict images that ranged from lush landscapes in need of protection to endangered wildlife. This year’s contest judges include fiction authors Tunku Halim, Hanna Alkaf, Arman Jazee, and Tina Isaacs, non-fiction authors Khairul Abdullah, Lydia Teh, Alexandra Wong, and Johan Irwan, professional photographers Che Ahmad Azhar, Trisha Toh, and Mahen Bala, academics Dr Salinah Ja’afar and Dr Hasmidar, teacher Cikgu Hailmi, as well as TV talk show host Terrence Dass. With the many creative entries submitted by our young leaders, they now face the daunting task of determining the contest winners!
 
Tan Sri Nik Mohamed Nik Yaacob, Executive Director, Perdana Leadership Foundation, said, “Given the challenges of Covid-19 and multiple movement restrictions, we are delighted by the response of the contest, especially from secondary school students. Through this contest, we hope to encourage critical thinking on the very pressing issue of the environment, as well as emphasise the continued importance of communication skills to good leadership. We thank all entrants for their submission and thank also the parents, teachers, and lecturers who encouraged their students to take part.”
 
With more than RM150,000 in cash and prizes such as iPads and e-book readers up for grabs, the contest offers Malaysian youth the chance to articulate their visions of the future whether through stories, essays, or photos. This is the third Perdana Leadership Foundation and Maybank Foundation collaboration and the second time that we are inviting fiction and photo submissions, making it one of the few contests for young fiction writers and photographers in Malaysia.
 
“Despite the many challenges we have faced this year, we are pleased that many young Malaysians were able to express their ideas concerning the issue of climate change which will impact the future of our planet. Maybank Foundation is a strong supporter of initiatives that encourage creativity and empowerment of the youth. We believe that this writing and photo contest will inspire our young leaders to contribute and be a part of the change-makers for a better nation. We look forward to meeting the winners soon!” said Encik Shahril Azuar Jimin, the CEO of Maybank Foundation.
 
The contest ran from April to November 2020. Throughout the contest period, numerous articles and videos were produced as part of its initiatives in raising awareness on the Climate Action as well as guiding young participants on the principles of good writing and photography via various digital platforms.
 
The results of the contest will be announced in February 2021 and a prize giving ceremony will be organized in March. For more information, visit
www.empoweringaseanyouth.com.
 
About Perdana Leadership Foundation
 
Established in the year 2003, Perdana Leadership Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to Malaysia’s leadership history, highlighting in particular the policies, strategies and contributions of Malaysia’s past Prime Ministers. The Foundation preserves documents and disseminates materials – including speeches, news clippings and magazine articles – related to the country’s nation-building journey. Its Library currently houses more than three hundred thousand digital documents related to the nation’s past leaders. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the Foundation’s Honorary President.
 
About Maybank Foundation:

Maybank Foundation is the corporate responsibility arm of the Maybank Group, which seeks to positively impact communities in markets that Maybank operates. The Foundation’s programmes are focused on six key pillars which are Education, Community Empowerment, Healthy Living, Arts & Culture and Environmental Diversity to build a better future both for present and future generations. For more information, please visit www.maybankfoundation.com.