In 2005, workshops and preliminary rounds held both here in the Klang Valley, Penang and for the very first time, in Kuantan and Kota Kinabalu. There were over 500 participants at the workshops from which nearly 200 participants pit their wits against each other in the regional preliminary competitions.

From this the judges selected 37 semifinalists and from that we had 11 National Finalists. And from our finalists, two were selected to represent Malaysia at the International Public Speaking Competition in May.

Regional finalists today spoke on the given theme which was “Differences & Diversity” – each of them will had 5 minutes to deliver their speech and thereafter were subject to 2 questions from our panel of judges.

In 2005, the regional finalists were :

• Anushka Ashwini Devaser
• Au Yong Wai Nyan
• Melissa Long Lai Peng
• Suraiya bt Abdul Munaff
• Yap Han Ern
• Farquar Haqqani
• Khor Lynn Ju
• Anusha a/p Rajadorai
• Karen Moy Sheu Li
• Lin Meiyi, and
• Melina Tay Mei Lian

National champion for 2005 was Suraiya bt Abdul Munaff and Au Yong Wai Nyan came in second place. Both represented Malaysia at the International Public Speaking Competition in London in May. That year, competition was stiff as Malaysia was placed in the “Native Speaking” category on the strength of its past success. In all there were 55 representatives from nearly 40 countries at the competition and China’s Xia Peng emerged Champion at the IPSC winning the overall Best Speaker prize and the Best non native Speaker prize.