On May 18, 2024, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, in partnership with the Malaysian Japanese Language Instructors Society (MAJLIS), the Shibuya Ikueikai Foundation, the Komaru-Koutsu Foundation, and Fukuyama City University, hosted the inaugural Japanese Essay and Speech Contest for Universities in Malaysia (JESC2024). The event saw the participation of nine students from six public universities. In the end, Ms. Nabilah Athirah Nurularifin from USIM claimed first place, with Mr. Muhammad Syahrizal Theng Abdullah from UPSI and Mr. Jeremy Chin Chun Keat from UNIMAS securing second and third place, respectively. 

After the event, we also had the opportunity to sit down with the champion, Ms. Nabilah Athirah, who shared her experience and insights from the competition.

What was the topic of your speech, and why did you choose it?

My speech’s topic was ‘Interesting Activities Malaysians Do in Traffic during ‘Eid’. I came across an interesting post on Twitter where a Malaysian who was stuck in traffic was weaving ketupat a few days before ‘Eid. So, I thought instead of focusing on a factual topic, this topic was more amusing and would be able to catch the audiences’ attention.

How did you prepare for the contest? What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your preparation?

I practiced my speech every day. Practicing was the only way to memorize and improve my speech. I am very grateful to Margaret Sensei for guiding and encouraging me. Margaret Sensei made me practice my speech in front of her class a few times. I think that became a huge factor to me gaining confidence and courage as it helped me get used to speaking Japanese in front of an audience. One of the biggest challenges that I faced was when I had to change my speech script several times. It was really difficult for me to memorize the speech which was in a language that I am not fluent in. I also felt a lot of pressure to perform well because USIM was the contest’s organizer.

What was going through your mind when you were announced as the winner?

I had mixed feelings during that time. I was really shocked, relieved and grateful at the same time. When I watched the contestants before me doing their speech and heard the fluency of their Japanese, I was scared and started losing confidence. But, during a short break, my classmates who were in the crowd gave me a lot of support and courage. I felt happy that I was able to meet everyone’s expectations and make them proud.

What inspired you to start learning Japanese?

My dream is to master a lot of languages and Japanese was one of the languages that I wish to be fluent in. However, my uncle was the biggest influence to study Japanese as I started watching anime and reading manga because of him. The first anime that I watched because of him was Naruto.

How long have you been studying Japanese, and what methods do you find most effective?

I have only studied Japanese for around 2 years. I think often listening to the language helps the most. I like to watch live streaming of Japanese gamers and since there are no subtitles, I have to listen attentively to be able to understand. I also have a habit of mimicking the words they say. I memorized a lot of Japanese words by doing this.

How has learning Japanese influenced your life or perspective?

Learning Japanese has made me improve my communication skills especially in terms of politeness and respect. In Japanese, there are multiple levels of politeness called keigo when communicating with others. So, this has taught me the importance of speaking formally with people of higher status or authority. Learning Japanese has also taught me to use indirect language and reading between the lines. This made me more sensitive to subtleties in communication.

What advice would you give to other students who are learning Japanese or thinking about participating in a speech contest?

For students who are leaning Japanese, struggling to study a foreign language is normal. You should be confident in your ability to study the language. Try practice speaking Japanese frequently whether by yourself or with your friends. In my opinion, immersing yourself into the culture also helps a lot. For instance, watching anime, Japanese dramas or listen to J-pop. For students who are thinking about participating in a speech contest, you should really try joining one. The experience is really meaningful. Practicing consistently is what makes your speech shine. Your hard work will never betray you.

お疲れ様でしたナビラさん！