KUCHING: Public speaking enthusiasts and curious members of the community will have a rare ringside seat this Sunday when Toastmasters International Division D stages its annual Division D Speech Contests 2026 at the SUPP headquarters.
Admission to the Apr 19 event is free, though seats are limited and registration is required.
The contest, one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures on the Toastmasters calendar in Sarawak, will feature contestants drawn from 25 clubs spanning Kuching, Bintulu, Miri and Brunei.
Each contestant has already earned his or her place at this stage by winning area-level competitions held earlier in the year, making Sunday’s showdown a genuine battle of the region’s finest speakers.
Three contest formats will run throughout the day. The International Speech Contest tests prepared oratory; the Evaluation Contest challenges speakers to assess a fellow member’s speech on the spot; and the Table Topics Contest demands impromptu eloquence on a theme revealed only moments before a contestant takes the stage.
Contests will be held in Bahasa Malaysia (Pidato), English and Mandarin, catering to the linguistic diversity of Sarawak’s cosmopolitan community.
The programme kicks off at 9am, with the Bahasa Malaysia and English contests filling the morning session. Mandarin contests will follow in the afternoon.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided, courtesy of Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, who has also been invited to grace the event as guest of honour.
The stakes are high: winners from the Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mandarin categories will go on to represent Division D at the Toastmasters International District 87 Speech Contests, scheduled for May 16 and 17 in Sibu.
Division D Director and Distinguished Toastmaster Joanna Then Poh Ding summed up the spirit of the event in the press statement today.
“This will be a wonderful opportunity for members of the public to enjoy firsthand various contests conducted in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mandarin,” she said.
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organisation dedicated to building communication and leadership skills in a supportive, structured environment.
Division D is among the organisation’s most active divisions in Malaysian Borneo.
