21 FEBRUARY 2026
Winners Neomi, flanked by Edna (left) and Pricilla
PENAMPANG. Neomi Salikup from Kampung Taginambur,
Tamparuli was champion for the 5th and last Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Literary Award for Novel Writing Competition bringing home a trophy and
RM7,500 in cash prize. Her novel titled "Sondihon do Koposion" was
inspired by her personal experience in village environment, a fiction
story of three siblings who lost their parents in a single day.
She had consistently submitted entries since the competition started in 2012 and won second place during the fourth competition.
The
second prize winner this year was Edna Stacy Sumandi from Kampung
Tomboilik Tenghilan, titled "Ngingis Kalangadan" and third as Priscilla
Moses Gukim from Kampung Togudon Penampang, titled "Tomoimo id Ginavo".
They won cash prizes of RM4,500 and RM3,000 respectively, proving the
lady's power in literature.
Another
seven consolation winners of RM750 went to Faveyana Linos, Leolarry
Lajius, Adrian Soidi, Ainah Gimir, Witer Gunik, Neomi Jemmy @Edward and
Angela Peter.
There were 16
entries received in the 5th series but only 10 was selected in the
competition. All the prizes were sponsored by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok who
also announced this is the last of Novel Writing Competition however it
will be replaced with a new platforms of storytelling to inspire future
generation to write, and will be announced soon by the Kadazan Language
Foundation (KLF),
He said
the competition was organised in response to the need of more
Kadazandusun reading materials utilised as teaching aids to learning the
language in schools. The competition had 89 entries since in started in
2012.
Guest of honour
Datuk Ewon Benedick, Deputy CM III cum Minister of Industrial
Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport announced allocation of
RM100 thousand from his MP funds to KLF for all their ethnic languages
initiatives and another 50 thousand from his ministry to Sabah Ethnic
Association to carry out workshops and seminars to prepare modules for 4
chosen ethnic languages of Sabah.
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