Lim Jack Kin gained the Malaysian Poetry Writing Competition 2021 award for his pandemic-inspired poem Year Of The Rat, which was judged the most effective from the 1,913 entries submitted by 860 members nationwide.
“My poem was inspired by everything that was going on around me in 2020. It was truly the year of the rat, in more ways than one,” shares Lim, 25, a poet, podcaster and humanities author primarily based in Subang Jaya, Selangor.
The Malaysian Poetry Writing Competition 2021 was organised by the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM). The winners had been introduced at a prize giving ceremony held on the UNM Kuala Lumpur Teaching Centre (KLTC) lately.
Lim, who picked up a RM1,000 money prize, says writing has taught him to chase his emotions, good or dangerous.
“Writing is an important skill that everyone should have, but your experiences, and how it makes you feel, that’s the most important part of writing poetry,” provides Lim, who runs the arts-anthology podcast KITA!.
Lim Jing Yi got here in second (RM750) along with her poem titled Rape Culture Pyramid and Allison Jong Chia Ning got here in third (RM500) along with her poem titled A Ui/Ux Review Of You.
“My piece was inspired by love and is actually dedicated to my partner, who is a product designer himself. Since I was 13, I’ve always used poetry as an outlet to express myself. I think it’s important to be comfortable with being vulnerable in your emotions, especially in writing poetry,” says Jong, 26, who hails from Sarawak.
Lim Jack Kin (proper) and Allison Jong Chia Ning gained the primary and third prize within the Malaysian Poetry Writing Competition 2021. Photo: Handout
Last 12 months’s version of the poetry competitors, which was opened to poets under 35, welcomed over 500 submissions, with chosen poems printed in Malaysian Millennial Voices earlier this 12 months. The anthology is printed by Maya Press, a co-sponsor of the competitors.
“Poetry is not a very popular literary genre. Not many people read poetry. But it is exciting to see a new generation of poets emerge over the last few years.
“With the overwhelming response in submissions we received, it is safe to say that poetry is very much alive in the Malaysian literary scene,” says writer/tutorial Professor Malachi Edwin Vethamani, who chaired the organising committee.
Veteran poet Wong Phui Nam, spoken phrase artist Melizarani T. Selva and conventional cultural advocate/author Eddin Khoo judged the competitors.
The judges additionally gave honourable mentions to eight poets who confirmed nice promise of their submissions.
They had been Vinothini Ananda Krishnan, Matthew Jerome van Huizen, Syahida Johan, Ainin Sofia Kamarudin, Lim Jack Kin, Noor Aishah Mat Dahan, Khayma Latha Balakrishnan, and Amir Muhammad.
The profitable entries in addition to poems that obtained excessive commendation from the judges will probably be printed by Maya Press in Best Malaysian Poems: Selected Poems From Malaysia Poetry Writing Competition 2021 early subsequent 12 months.
More data here.
