By Mohd Iswandi kasan Anuar
JAKARTA, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- Indonesian secondary school students expressed pride at having the opportunity to participate in the National Day and Malaysia Day celebration at the Embassy of Malaysia, and to emphasise the role of the younger generation in strengthening relations between the two countries.
Melodia Nada Safira, 17, from Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) 78 Jakarta, said that 20 students accompanied by two teachers were invited to perform Choral Speaking, or rhythmic speaking, at the official event held at the embassy complex.
“We feel very proud and happy. This is a valuable experience because through this activity we gained a lot of knowledge and new experiences,” she said.
She said this after presenting a Choral Speaking performance titled “Serumpun”, which highlighted the beauty of the Indonesian and Malaysian languages as well as the cultural diversity of both countries.
Melodia called on the younger generation to shoulder the responsibility of preserving cultural heritage — from cuisine to the arts such as dance, pantun and poetry — while helping to ensure that Malaysia–Indonesia relations remain harmonious.
She noted that relations between the two countries remain strong through various forms of government and community-level cooperation, and expressed hope that Indonesian students would one day have the opportunity to visit Malaysia to further deepen youth ties.
SMA 78 Jakarta won second place in the inaugural Choral Speaking competition organised by the Embassy of Malaysia in Jakarta, in collaboration with Education Malaysia in Indonesia and telecommunications conglomerate Axiata, recently.
The competition, which drew participation from 14 secondary schools across Jakarta, centred on the theme of Malaysia–Indonesia ties and highlighted values of kinship, shared heritage and common aspirations aimed at nurturing a younger generation with a deeper appreciation of regional cooperation.
-- BERNAMA
