Sunway University Hits All the Right Notes at PALMA 2024!
Sunway University’s international students proudly represented the university at the 2024 Inter-Varsity PALMA (Pertandingan Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Antarabangsa) singing competition, bringing home multiple awards! The competition, jointly organised by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka, and Asia Pacific University, saw international students performing Malay songs. Sunway University sent a total of 6 students for the competition, with 4 qualifying for the finals. Sheena Labonte from Seychelles and Praachi Bhawnani from India participated in the preliminary rounds. Sheena is from the School of Engineering and Technology, while Praachi is from Sunway Diploma Studies. Sheena described the experience as wonderful, saying, "I’ve always wanted to participate in a singing competition."
After the preliminary round, the finals took place on 7th December at Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur. Nurana Gafurova, a student from Turkmenistan who is from Sunway Diploma Studies, put on a great performance and qualified for the finals but unfortunately had to forgo her spot due to a conflicting examination. Six universities qualified for the finals, with Sunway University represented by Yee Mon Oo and May Myat Noe Chit from Myanmar, who are from the A-Levels programme and the School of Arts, respectively, along with Quinsley Ryan Pynam from Mauritius, also from the School of Arts.
Despite this, the remaining three students pushed forward, and their dedication resulted in a total of four awards. Quinsley Ryan Pynam from Mauritius earned 1st place with his passionate performance of Sinaran by Sheila Majid, making him the champion of the event. He also won the Best Duet Performance award, having performed with a partner from Albukhary University. Meanwhile, Yee Mon Oo and May Myat Noe Chit from Myanmar were also outstanding, with Yee Mon’s rendition of Bunga-bunga Cinta by Misha Omar earning her 3rd place, and May Myat Noe Chit receiving a consolation prize for her performance of Ku Bersuara by Ernie Zakri.
As international students, it was no easy feat for them to learn and perform in a language unfamiliar to them. Quinsley shared how challenging it was to balance training sessions with academic responsibilities. “During training week, we would often wake up at 7:30 a.m. and finish at 11 p.m. I even had to do one of my assessments online to accommodate the training.”
Yee Mon Oo from Myanmar explained the difficult realities performers face in their journey of improvement. Yee Mon shared, "There were times when the feedback was hard to hear — the coach was strict. The most challenging part was trusting my own voice, especially during moments of self-doubt. But I chose to see them as an opportunity to grow.” And stepping onto the stage wasn’t any easier, as she admitted, “I was shaking! Public speaking, which is a nightmare for some students, is nothing compared to singing in front of an audience.”
However, she found some parts of the preparation quite enjoyable, as it made her feel like an idol. “After breakfast, a van would be waiting to take us to the studio for vocal-focused training until noon. After that, we would either have a photo shoot, an interview, or a fitting session with the designer team.”
May Myat Noe Chit, also from Myanmar, thoroughly enjoyed the competition season, calling the experience surreal. "I’ve met and made many friends who have taught me to be a better person. I’m very proud of myself and everyone else who was courageous enough to step out of their comfort zone.” That said, the journey wasn’t without challenges, as she didn’t anticipate how physically demanding the training sessions would be. “It took me quite a while to reduce strains and vocal breaks during high notes.” Her song, Ku Bersuara by Ernie Zakri, held personal meaning for her, as it symbolized woman empowerment, strength, and independence — a powerful message coming from a teenage girl.
These international students are truly amazing! But their potential could not have been realised without the help of Dr Anita Premila Paul Dorairaj of Sunway Diploma Studies, and Mr Zairi Ismail from Sunway’s International Office. Dr Anita shared how she first became involved in the PALMA competition, saying, "I got to know about this competition from my former colleague at APU. Since we had participated in 2022 and won 2nd place, I decided to get Mr Zairi involved again. Together, we identified the foreign students who were interested in participating." She further explained the tight timeline, “At that time, we only had one week to select the students and begin their training. However, the team received a stroke of luck when the organisers postponed the preliminary round, giving the students more time to prepare.” Dr Anita coached them vocally for the preliminary rounds and helped them select their songs. Mr Zairi helped support the team, acting as the liaison for the team and Sunway Student Life. Without these two individuals, the team’s success would not have been possible.
‘This is all about discovering and nurturing our students' talents to experience the most of their university days, to gain valuable and enriching experiences. Sharing the universal gift of music with all nationalities and cultures makes the world feel more united’ - Dr Anita
It was inspiring to see students from diverse cultures and nationalities come together to form such strong bonds in pursuit of their dreams. Quinsley summed up the experience in a simple yet powerful way: "Never limit yourself to only the things that you already know, and never let anyone stop you from becoming who you really are.”
