KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) — The Suara Semua Carnival 2025 (SSC 2025), held in the capital today, served as an important platform for fostering harmony and cultural understanding among communities worldwide.
Jay Hoi Jin Jie, chairman of the event organized by Kunkwan International Mandarin Training Centre, said the carnival centered on the concept of “voice” as its main theme and successfully attracted participants from 11 ASEAN+1 countries and China.
Through singing and performing arts, participants not only conveyed messages of harmony but also learned other cultures and languages, as they were required to perform songs not in their native tongues. This year’s ASEAN theme brought participants not only from Malaysia but from across the region,” he told Bernama today.
Hoi, who is also Chief Capital Officer of Kunkwan, said 60 contestants participated in auditions since March, with 30 advancing to the semi-finals and 11 reaching the final held today.
He added that the competition also created broader collaboration opportunities between local and regional artists in efforts to strengthen Malaysia’s position as an ASEAN cultural hub.
The SSC 2025 final at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) featured a panel of professional local and regional judges, including actress Diana Danielle, singer Mark Adam and Meer Nash.
Also present were MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and Mariati Mohd Arif, Head of Corporate Affairs at Bernama.
Kent Ng Kun Kwan, founder and CEO of Kunkwan International Mandarin Training Centre, said the carnival’s spirit echoed the Malay proverb “tak kenal maka tak cinta” (“if you don’t know, you cannot love”), highlighting language and the arts as bridges to understanding and celebrating cultural diversity.
“I believe when we learn another person’s language, we also learn about their culture. From that, we realize that despite different races and languages, we are all human beings who share the same emotions, dreams and hopes,” he said.
* Source: Bernama
