|
Programming at the
Peak
From left to right: Mr Jonathan
Searcy, Phang Jeng Hui (2nd runner-up), Foong Sek Chee (champion),
Pok Chee Sing (1st runner-up), En Badlisham Ghazali (CEO of
Multimedia Development Corporation),
Mr Derrik Khoo.
The Chief Executive Officer of
Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC), En Badlisham Ghazali, was
spotted in Genting Highlands Resort recently to honour the nation’s
most talented programmers.
APIIT undergraduate, Foong Sek Chee,
emerged top winner of the eGENTING Programming Competition held in
November last year. He beat more than 100 contestants in a gruelling
8-hour programming challenge, to clinch the top prize comprising
RM5,000 cash and an opportunity to work with eGENTING Research &
Development (Systems). Foong who was a distinction winner in 2004,
successfully climbed to the top this time. He attributed his success
to the lessons learnt during his first attempt. As he said, “I took
a long time to figure out why I can’t solve some of the problems
posted in the competition. Finally, I discovered the keyword is “ to
divide and conquer”…”
The first runner-up went to Pok Chee
Sing of Sunway University College who walked away with RM2,500 cash
and a job opportunity with eGENTING Research & Development
(Systems).
Phang Jeng Hui of Multimedia
University Melaka was the second runner-up and walked away with
RM1,500 cash and a job opportunity with eGENTING Research &
Development (Systems).
Along with the top three winners,
there were also one distinction winner and six others who achieved
the level of merit.
The prize presentation ceremony was
also attended by Mr Robert Foong, Principal Private Secretary to YB
Dato’ Kong Cho Ha, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science,
Technology & Innovation, Mr Derrik Khoo, Chief Operating Officer of
eGENTING Group and other senior personnel of the Genting Group, as
well as academics including deans, heads of school, academic
directors and lecturers, and undergraduates and graduates.
eGENTING has been actively searching
for world-class talent and expertise in software development through
its innovative recruitment programme. The eGENTING Programming
Competition is seen as the ideal means to uncover young programming
talent. It also exposes contestants to the practical skills
necessary to excel in the software development industry.
According to Mr Jonathan Searcy,
Senior Vice President of eGENTING Research & Development (Systems),
“The question paper contains a variety of realistic problems that
the contestants can attempt to solve. By entering the competition,
contestants gain an understanding of the standards they must meet in
order to undertake serious software development projects”. The
competition also provides feedback to institutions of higher
learning about the quality of graduates they must produce in order
to satisfy the needs of the industry, not to mention a check on the
suitability and relevance of course contents.
The eGENTING Programming Competition
is supported by Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC). Since its
inception, MDC has assisted in numerous ways including promoting the
event to all MSC-status Institutions of Higher Learning.
The first programming competition was
held in 2002. Since then, eGENTING has conducted similar
competitions on an annual basis. The competition is internally
administered by eGENTING. More details of the eGENTING Programming
Competition, including reviews of previous years’ competitions and
press clippings, are available at
www.genting.com.my/rnd.
Supported by:
MAIN |