Year Nine Awg Khairul Izzul bin Zaini and Year Seven Dyg Suzana binti Jariad from Sayyidina Ali Secondary School were crowned champions in the poetry recitation competition among Belait District government schools of cluster five in conjunction with the 26th National Day.
Organised by the Malay Literature and MIB departments, the competition was conducted by Sayyidina Ali Secondary school for students to understand writing and reciting poetry.

Other objectives included to develop the skills and talents of students interested in poetry, to realise the department’s balance scorecard objectives, to instil patriotic and national spirit and strengthen ties between students of different schools, and inculcate a competitive spirit among students of the Belait District.

Five schools participated: SM PAP Hjh Rashidah Saadatul Bolkiah, SM Sayyidina Ali, SM Perdana Wazir, SM PJN Pg Hj Abu Bakar and Anthony Abell College.

The guest of honour was Awg Abg Zamhor bin OKPSD Abg Hj Abu Hanifah, head of the Belait branch of the Youth and Sports Department, under the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports.

He congratulated the department for making the effort and lauded the students who had shown interest in developing the Malay poetry. He hoped the genre will stay within the Malay society and that the spirit of nationalism will be felt by the students.

The school’s acting principal, Dyg Annie Sindai, and the event’s chairperson, Cikgu Pg Suharman bin Pg Tuah, also attended.

The acting principal touched on the need to be united in developing our nation and this could be done in such a competition whereby students are able to convey their loyalty and appreciation of being Brunei citizens.

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