KL teen orator heads to London finals

The Star

10-05-2025

Promising potential: Chreesh (centre) with (from left) Tan, Ooi, Tunku Dara and Chin.
THE coming week promises to be an adrenaline-pulsating experience for Chreeshveeran S. Ramesh.
The student from Campus Rangers International School, Kuala Lumpur, will represent Malaysia at the English-Speaking Union (ESU) International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) in London, United Kingdom, from May 12 to 17.
There, the recently crowned champion of the national leg of the competition will compete against champions from over 40 countries.
Expressing his excitement and nervousness about his first trip to London – and abroad – the 16-year-old, who is fondly known as Chreesh among his family and friends, said he will do his best to represent Malaysia, despite the pressure and challenge of the competition.
At the national finals on April 19, Chreesh beat 10 other finalists in a competition that had attracted 221 Malaysian participants aged 16 to 20.
The theme for both the preliminary round and the finals, was 'We Know What We Are, But Not What We May Be' – a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet – while the theme for the semi-finals was 'Unity To Be Real, Must Stand the Severest Strain Without Breaking'.
For his outstanding performance, Chreesh won a cash prize of RM1,500 and an all-expenses-paid trip to the UK to take part in the world finals. His school was also rewarded, receiving RM500 in cash.
Second place went to Jenny Ooi Jie Yuee, 19, a student at the University of Bristol, UK, and third place to Chin Bei Yan, 18, of The Seed Resource Centre, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. They received RM1,000 and RM500, respectively.
The other finalists took home consolation cash prizes of RM250 each.
Thanking his parents, teachers and school for their support, Chreesh said his participation in the competition was part of the school's efforts to encourage students to excel in co-curricular activities as well as academics.
He also credited his coach Stan Lee for giving him useful tips, such as speaking to captivate the audience and to resonate with them.
Chreesh said it is important to speak on a subject one is passionate about.
'How can others be interested to listen to me if I am not convinced of the subject myself?' he stressed.
The national competition was held by ESU Malaysia in collaboration with Taylor's College, with support from the Malaysian Institute for Development of Professionals and the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association.
This year marked the 25th time ESU Malaysia had served as organiser, and the sixth year of its collaboration with Taylor's College as co-host.
ESU Malaysia chairman Tunku Dara Tunku Tan Sri Naquiah Almarhum Tuanku Ja'afar expressed hope that the competition would help enhance communication skills, foster international understanding, and provide a platform for Malaysian youths to develop confidence and mastery of spoken English.
'Effective public speaking is not just about giving a speech. It is total communication. The voice, the tone, the eye contact, the body movement and hand gestures –they all tell a story,' she said in a press release.
Taylor's College campus director Josephine Tan said both institutions share a common vision of nurturing the younger generation by empowering them with knowledge and soft skills, including a strong command of the English language.
'This helps them thrive both personally and professionally, ultimately driving the nation forward,' she said.
The upcoming world final marks the 45th year of the IPSC, touted as the world's largest public speaking competition of its kind.