Perdana Leadership Foundation essay competition

I've plugged this competition before and I'll do it again, on behalf of a friend of mine who works in the Perdana Leadership Foundation. The Foundation is having an essay competition centering on the theme of “Nurturing the Minds of Future Leaders”. It is open to students from the secondary school level up to the undergraduate level. You can find out more details here.

I've asked my friend if we could publish some of the winning entries once they have been announced. I've cut and pasted my friend's email below giving more detailed instructions:

Prizes offered include the Proton Savvy for tertiary students, a Modenas scooter for upper secondary students and a mountain bicycle for lower secondary students. They also include laptop computers, iPods, and mobile phones, and MPH book vouchers.

The contest is divided into three categories: Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary and Tertiary (Undergraduates up to the age of 25) with three essay questions for each category, and a suggested list of resources, as below.

The objective is to encourage thinking and writing skills, as well as stimulate interest in Malaysian history.

Lower Secondary Level (700 – 1,000 words)

Select one of Malaysia ’s past Prime Ministers and discuss his contributions to the country.
Pilih seorang bekas Perdana Menteri Malaysia dan bincangkan sumbangan-sumbangan beliau kepada negara.

Suggested Resources

Tunku Abdul Rahman: memoir politik / Shariff Ahmad
Tunku: his life and times / William Shaw
Tun Razak: jejak bertapak seorang patriot / Zainuddin Maidin
Tun Razak: prince of Titiwangsa / Shariff Ahmad
Tun Hussein Onn / Siti Mariam Daud
Tun Hussein Onn: Bapa Perpaduan = Father of Unity / Abdul Rahman Shaari
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad Perdana Menteri kita: Era Permodenan & Globalisasi / S. Hashim Ahmad
Mahathir memartabatkan maruah bangsa / Amidah Hamim
Federal Constitution, revised in 2002 / The Commisioner of Law Revision, Malaysia
The Malaysian System of Government / Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
The Constitution of Malaysia : Its development 1957-1977 / edited by Tun Mohamed Suffian, HP Lee & FA Trindade

These references are available at Perdana Library. The full text of books can be accessed only in hard copy at the Perdana Library. News clippings and speeches can be viewed online via our Perdana Library website (http://library.perdana.org.my).

Upper Secondary Level (1000 – 1,500 words)

As a multiracial society, Malaysia faces challenges to maintain stability and harmony. Discuss how to develop a united Malaysian nation.
Sebagai sebuah negara yang bersifat majmuk, Malaysia menghadapi cabaran untuk memelihara kestabilan dan keharmonian. Bincangkan bagaimana untuk mewujudkan bangsa Malaysia yang bersatu padu.

Suggested Resources

Malaysia : pertumbuhan dan keadilan dalam masyarakat majmuk / Kevin Young
Masyarakat Malaysia : tinjauan dan perbincangan terhadap beberapa isu dan topik semasa / disunting oleh Zuraina Majid
May 13: before and after / Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj
Nation building in Malaysia 1946 – 1974 / James P. Ongkili
Dynamics of nation building / J.E. Jayasuriya
Tunku Abdul Rahman - Dr Mahathir Mohamad: ke arah perpaduan / Idris Tulis
Federal Constitution, revised in 2002 / The Commisioner of Law Revision, Malaysia
The Malaysian System of Government / Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
The Constitution of Malaysia : Its development 1957-1977 / edited by Tun Mohamed Suffian, HP Lee & FA Trindade

Tertiary Level (1,500 - 2,000 Words)

Five lessons we can learn from the history of Malaysia , from Merdeka to the present day.
Lima pengajaran yang dapat dipelajari dari sejarah Malaysia, sejak Merdeka hingga ke hari ini.

Suggested Resources

Malaysia : sejarah kenegaraan dan politik / penyelenggara, Abdul Rahman Hj Ismail
21st century Malaysia : challenges and strategies in attaining vision 2020 / edited by Michael Yeoh
Malaysia in transition: politics and society / Abdul Razak Baginda
Malaysia ’s economic development: policy and reform / edited by Jomo K.S. and Ng Suew Kiat
Five men and five ideas: building national identity / Hng Hung Yong
Federal Constitution, revised in 2002 / The Commisioner of Law Revision, Malaysia
The Malaysian System of Government / Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
The Constitution of Malaysia : Its development 1957-1977 / edited by Tun Mohamed Suffian, HP Lee & FA Trindade
Malaysia 's political economy / Edmund Terence Gomez and Jomo K. Sundaram
Government & Society in Malaysia / Harold Crouch
A Malaysian journey / Rehman Rashid

These references are available at Perdana Library. The full text of books can be accessed only in hard copy at the Perdana Library. News clippings and speeches can be viewed online via our Perdana Library website (http://library.perdana.org.my). Our Library's opening hours are from 9am to 5.30pm, Mondays to Fridays. Contact Encik Adnan (03-8885 8940 or adnan@perdana.org.my. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ) or Encik Munawar (03-8885 8954 or munawar@perdana.org.my. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ) for further information.