KUCHING: Sixty-five secondary students from 15 schools across Sarawak tested their English communication and critical thinking skills at the inaugural Sarawak English Public Speaking Challenge (SEPSC) 2026.
Organised by the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Sarawak (MEITD) and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, the statewide competition was held at Swinburne Sarawak on August 6 and 7.
Lois Lu Chen Zhi of SMK St Joseph emerged champion, with Inesh Dhayal of SMK Batu Lintang named first runner-up and Celine Voon Yih Jia of SMK Sungai Maong second runner-up.
Lazarus Carlos of SMK St Joseph and Nicole Au Jia Min of SMK Sungai Maong received Highly Commended awards.
Inesh also won Best Speaker (Prepared Speech), Best Speaker (Impromptu Speech) and Best Speaker (Kuching Division).
Best Speaker awards for the other divisions went to Cassendrea Chai Chen Yi of SMK Rosli Dhoby (Sibu), Olivia Anak Bara of SMK Balai Ringin (Serian) and Danysha April Wong Kaixyn of SMK St Anthony (Sarikei).
The competition featured Prepared Speech and Impromptu Speech categories, requiring participants to articulate ideas effectively, think critically under pressure and deliver persuasive arguments before a panel of judges.
For Lois, the experience pushed him beyond his comfort zone while allowing him to make new friends from different backgrounds.
“The more you fear it, the more you should face it, because growth does not happen when you stay in your comfort zone; it happens when you step beyond it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Inesh said public speaking was an essential life skill that could only be developed through regular practice.
“Speaking is a skill that you use every day of your life. No matter what path you choose, you will still have to interact with others,” he said.
Swinburne Sarawak Head of Department – Media and Communication and Senior Lecturer, Dr Christina Yin, said the inaugural edition marked the beginning of the university’s long-term commitment to English language proficiency and youth development.
She said the initiative built on Swinburne Sarawak’s experience in organising its Inter-School Debating Championship, which reached its 21st edition this year and attracted more than 300 participants, adjudicators and teachers from more than 30 schools, including institutions from other states and neighbouring Indonesia.
With MEITD’s approval, Swinburne Sarawak aims to establish SEPSC as an annual outreach initiative and eventually expand participation to schools across all divisions.
The university said the initiative would continue to focus on developing confident communicators, effective leaders and responsible citizens capable of contributing to Sarawak’s development in an increasingly globalised world.
