RHB Banking Group extends it's CSR initiatives by co-organising the RHB-NST spelling challenge

Kuala Lumpur, April 15, 2008: RHB Banking Group (“RHB”) in collaboration with the New Straits Times (“NST”) have successfully launched a nationwide spelling contest entitled RHB-NST Spell-It-Right Challenge (“the Challenge”). The Challenge, which kicked off early in April will end in August 2008 when the National-Level Champions are crowned. The main objective of this contest is to challenge our young generation’s capability in the English language and to increase their vocabulary so as to prepare them in meeting future global challenges. The contest is also one of the corporate social responsibility exercises for both companies.

It was officially launched by the Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak at Dewan Cempaka Sari, Pusat Perbadanan Putrajaya. Also present were Datuk Azlan Zainol, Chairman of RHB Bank Berhad and Dato’ Sri Kalimullah Hassan, Deputy Chairman of New Straits Times Press Malaysia Berhad.

The Challenge has already produced winners at the State Level in Sabah and Sarawak. These two states were chosen to kick-start the Challenge on 5th and 6th April respectively. It will make rounds nationwide until all 14 State-champions for Primary & Secondary schools are identified.

This spelling contest is only open to government-funded schools and is divided into two categories; Category One for Primary Schools (Year 1 to Year 6) and Category Two for Secondary Schools (Form 1 to Form 5).

There are two challenge levels; State Challenge and National Challenge. To-date 182 primary schools with 728 students & 241 secondary schools with 964 students have confirmed their participation in the Challenge.

At the State Challenge, students will undergo Preliminary elimination rounds before they qualify for the State-Final round where they will compete for the State Champion title. The school that accumulates the most points will be declared as the winning school. At the National Challenge, the 14 State Champions from each category will compete for the National Champion title that will be held at the National Museum Auditorium in Kuala Lumpur on 9 August.

“The Challenge shall be instrumental in nurturing interest to learn and improve the linguistic skills of students in primary and secondary schools throughout the country. We heed the call of the Government for the private sector to actively participate in enhancing the standard of English usage amongst students in schools”, Datuk Azlan said.

He added, “I sincerely hope that the Challenge will help in supporting our young in achieving educational excellence and also to further contribute to the Malaysian Government policy of developing a higher standard of English language usage among students from government-funded schools.”

A total of RM2.5 million has been allocated for the Challenge. The contest itself offers cash prizes worth more than RM200,000.00. For both challenges, top three individual winners and winning schools will receive cash prizes and certificates. The winning school at the National Challenge will take home the Challenge Trophy.

The Challenge is one of a series of CSR initiatives involving children undertaken by the RHB Banking Group. The Group is also actively involved in other projects such as Missing Children – Reuniting Family to assist the Royal Malaysian Police & other authorities to locate missing children and Safety Awareness Campaign for primary school students nationwide. In the past, the Group co-organised the National Essay Writing Competition for secondary school students, called Wordsmith 2007 and Tunas Pujangga 2007.

For enquiries, please contact: Adeline Ong Pek Yaw / Kala Sukumar, Group Corporate Communications Division RHB Banking Group Tel: 03-9280 2552 / 2533