Xiang Sheng Competition to be held August 29

suppadmin | August 18, 2026

The inaugural YB Datuk Sebastian Ting Cup Northern Sarawak Primary and Secondary School Chinese Xiang Sheng Competition (Crosstalk Competition) will be held on Aug 29 at 8am at the Lim Mok Seng and Wong Siew Ying Hall of Pei Min Middle School’s new administration and teaching building.

Organised by the Youth Section of the Miri Division Federation of Chinese Associations (Miri Huazong), the competition aims to promote Chinese crosstalk culture, enrich school activities and enhance students’ artistic appreciation.

The competition is open to primary and secondary school students registered with the Ministry of Education, with each team comprising two students performing a traditional two-person crosstalk routine.

Participants may perform their own scripts or works by established crosstalk writers, but content involving sensitive racial or religious issues is prohibited. Chinese must be the main language, although other languages may be incorporated appropriately.

The performance time limit is five minutes for the primary category and eight minutes for the secondary category. Points will be deducted for performances exceeding the stipulated time.

Students must wear their school uniforms and may bring relevant props such as handkerchiefs, folding fans, wooden clappers and bamboo boards. Participants will also be eligible for co-curricular assessment points under PAJSK.

Judging will be based on basic skills (40%), performance techniques (30%), content (20%) and stage impression (10%). Basic skills include voice projection, pronunciation, tone and diction, while performance techniques cover stage presence, movements, expressions and character differentiation.

For overtime performances, one point will be deducted for the first 30 seconds, followed by two points for every subsequent 30 seconds. In the event of a tie, the participant with the higher basic skills score will win, followed by comparisons of performance techniques, content and stage impression. The judges’ decision will be final.

For the primary category, the champion will receive RM300, a trophy and certificate, followed by RM200 for the runner-up, RM160 for third place and RM120 for fourth place.

In the secondary category, the champion will receive RM380, followed by RM260 for the runner-up, RM200 for third place and RM160 for fourth place. Trophies and certificates will also be presented.

Each category will also have five special awards, with RM80 for each primary school recipient and RM100 for each secondary school recipient. All participants will receive certificates of participation.

Registration is free and closes at 3pm on Aug 21. Late applications will not be accepted.

The champions of both categories will also perform at the Chinese Cultural Festival dinner on Sept 12 at the Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club.

For enquiries, contact organising committee chairman Liu Yi Long at 014-685 5005, secretary Fan Wen Qi at 019-885 7258, or the Huazong secretariat at 011-5508 1815.