65th Malaysia Int’l Quran Contest Slated for Aug. 2 with Participation of 50 Countries
According to Malaysian Minister of Religious Affairs Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, 72 Quran memorizers and reciters from 50 countries are set to take part in this edition.
He said that of the total, 40 participants will compete in the Quran recitation category, while 32 others will compete in the Quran memorization category.
“The participant screening process was conducted online from May 19 to 23 and was assessed by an experienced panel of judges to ensure fairness and transparency,” he said during the pre-launch ceremony of the MTHQA in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
This year’s assembly carries the theme “Developing a MADANI Ummah”, and will be officially opened by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Aug 2.
Malaysia will be represented by Aiman Ridhwan Mohamad Ramlan (Perak) and Wan Sofea Aini Wan Mohd Zahidi (Terengganu) in the recitation category, and Muhammad Adib Ahmad Rozaini (Perak) and Putri Auni Khadijah Mohd Hanif (Kelantan) in the Memorization category.
According to Mohd Na’im, this year’s panel of judges will comprise 16 qualified and experienced individuals from various countries, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Indonesia, ensuring a fair and transparent judging process.
He explained that judging for the recitation category will focus on four core aspects: tajweed (pronunciation accuracy), tarannum (melodic recitation), fasahah (fluency), and vocal quality, while the memorization category will be assessed based on memorization accuracy and fluency.
On the selection of the theme, Mohd Na’im said it aligns with Malaysia’s vision of developing a highly civilized society, not only in terms of infrastructure and physical development but also in spiritual, intellectual, and moral dimensions.
He noted that Malaysia has long been recognized as a leading host of the MTHQA since its inception on March 8, 1961, with one of its notable achievements being the Best Quran Program Award in 2016 from the Kuwait International Prize for the Holy Quran.
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“JAKIM will continue to elevate the prestige and quality of this event in line with current demands, including embracing the aspirations of digitization and artificial intelligence (AI),” he added.
Winners in both categories will receive RM40,000 in cash, while second-place winners will receive RM30,000, and third-place winners RM20,000, along with jewelry prizes sponsored by the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM).
As part of the assembly, a special event - a Quran recitation from KL Sentral to Hatyai - will also be organized, aiming to set a new record in the Malaysia Book of Records under the category “Longest Quran Recitation on an International Cross-Border Train Journey.”
Source: Bernama
