SIBU: Sekolah Menengah Jalan Riam of Miri emerged as the overall champion of the Sarawak Language and Literature Festival 2026.
The school took home the championship trophy and RM500 in prize money. It also earned the honour of representing Sarawak at the national-level festival, which will be held in August.
The school previously won the national title in 2017 and 2022.
The three-day festival was held at Dewan Rimbunan Hijau, Wisma Huawen Du Zhong.
Sekolah Menengah Chung Hua No. 1 finished as runner-up, while Sekolah Menengah Kai Dee came in third.
SM Jalan Riam also clinched two individual awards. Elena Sim Jia Ying was named Best Director, while her teammate, Oscar Ong Kang Heng, received the Best Panel Member award.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian stressed language and literature play a vital role in shaping a nation’s civilisation, identity and unity, while urging all parties to continue supporting efforts to uphold the national language.
He said despite the rapid pace of digitalisation and globalisation, language should not be regarded merely as a means of communication, but as a force that unites society and reflects a nation’s identity.
“Through language and literature programmes, we are able to build a society that is knowledgeable, morally upright and appreciative of cultural diversity. Language is the soul of a nation, while literature is a reflection of civilisation,” he said.
His speech was delivered by his representative, Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng Jin Ek.
Dr Sim said the national language remains a vital unifying force, serving as a bridge that connects Sarawak’s multi-racial communities and strengthens consensus among the people.
He added that efforts to reinforce national identity and unity through language and literature should continue to be strengthened through approaches and platforms that are relevant to the younger generation.
Dr Sim described the organisation of the Language and Literature Festival, featuring competitions such as public speaking, poetry recitation, student forums and storytelling, as a timely initiative to identify and nurture talented students, particularly those from Chinese National-Type Schools and Chinese Independent Secondary Schools.
He said the festival would help produce students who are able to communicate effectively, present arguments convincingly and express their ideas confidently in the national language.
Dr Sim also urged all stakeholders to adopt more creative and effective approaches to foster greater appreciation of the national language among people from all walks of life.
He said the national language should become an integral part of everyday life and called on all parties to continue giving their full support to the Language and Literature Council in its mission to uphold the national language and literature as symbols of the country’s identity.
Also speaking at the closing ceremony was Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Sarawak director Dr Azizul Haji Ismail.
