KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) — KunKwan International Mandarin Training Centre founder and chief executive officer Kent Ng Kun Kwan has earned a place among the Top 20 nominees for the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) 2025, joining the ranks of other distinguished young leaders worldwide.
Ng, 40, sees the nomination not just as a personal recognition but also as a success that elevates the role of Malaysian youth on the international stage.
“This is not just my achievement, but also Malaysia’s success as it shows our youth are capable of competing at the global level,” he told Bernama recently.
Each year, JCI, a non-profit international non-governmental organisation, honours 10 exceptional young leaders under 40 who are making a positive impact in their communities and beyond.
Another Malaysian Jason Teo Giin Liang, a pioneer in sustainable agriculture and climate advocacy, is also listed among the 20 TOYP 2025 nominees.
Originally from Tapah, Perak, Ng founded KunKwan in 2013 with the mission of teaching Mandarin as an additional international language.
To date, KunKwan has taught Mandarin to over 400,000 people across Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei, making it the largest international Mandarin training centre in Southeast Asia.
Ng said KunKwan’s emphasis on listening and speaking skills, rather than writing, has drawn non-Chinese students, including Malays and Indians, to learn Mandarin as a global communication tool.
“Many students merely want to use Mandarin as a tool to connect with clients, employers or business partners,” he added.
Ng said KunKwan has also introduced programmes such as ‘Karnival Suara Semua’ to celebrate unity by gathering students of different ethnicities to sing in various languages, helping bridge cultural gaps.
His centre also ropes in homemakers to serve as ‘ambassadors’ to promote online Mandarin classes, enabling them to earn up to RM5,000 a month.
“I believe entrepreneurs must solve social problems. By promoting language and
culture, we are actually strengthening harmony,” he said.
On his chances of being named a recipient of the TOYP award, Ng said the selection is not solely based on public voting but also assessments by an international jury evaluating the nominees based on their achievements and impact, as well as how they inspire others.
The public can vote online through JCI’s official website at https://toyp.jci.cc.
* Source: Bernama Lifestyle
