One of the department staff who passed the course receving her certificate.
KOTA KINABALU: To enhance their ability to serve and communicate better with the growing Chinese community in the region, a group of Sabah Customs Department staff had attended and successfully completed their Chinese Language Course (HSK) Level 1 at the Confucius Institute of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (CI@UMS).
Over the past three months, a selected group of the department’s staff eagerly immersed themselves in learning the complexities of Mandarin at the Confucius Institute.
Ten of them passed all the requirements for the course and received a certificate from CI@UMS in a brief ceremony held at the Sabah Customs Department office here recently.
The Chinese language course, conducted by professional teacher Ming Hao of CI@UMS, encompassed a comprehensive curriculum, focusing on basic conversational fluency, cultural understanding and specific terminology relevant to the Customs-related procedures.
Participants actively engaged in language exercises, role-plays and interactive discussions, enhancing their vocabulary, pronunciation and comprehension skills.
Throughout the course, the staff showed remarkable dedication and perseverance, attending classes outside of their regular work hours.
Their commitment to mastering Mandarin was commendable, demonstrating their genuine desire to improve communication channels and foster stronger ties with the local and overseas Chinese community.
This endeavour aimed at equipping the students with the necessary linguistic skills to better serve the needs and concerns of Chinese visitors, residents, and nationals seeking assistance from custom authorities.
CI@UMS Director (Malaysia) Professor Ts. Dr. Chong Khim Phin expressed his admiration for the participants’ unwavering commitment.
“It is heartening to witness the dedication and enthusiasm shown by these Customs Department staff.
“Their decision to invest time and effort in learning Chinese language demonstrates their sincerity in building stronger connections with the Chinese community and fostering a more inclusive society,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sabah Customs Department Deputy Director Edward Justin congratulated the participants on their achievement, emphasising the importance of effective communication in the Customs sector.
“The Chinese language course equips our department staff with invaluable skills that will enable them to provide improved services to our Chinese-speaking population, contributing to a more seamless and welcoming experience,” he said.
The successfully held Chinese language course marked a significant milestone, not only for the department staff but also the whole community. A multilingual workforce is crucial for addressing language barriers and ensuring efficient service delivery, particularly in a diverse and multicultural society.
CI@UMS will continue to offer HSK Level 1 classes to the Customs Department and HSK Level 2 to those had passed the Level 1.
The Institute is dedicated to provide language and cultural learning opportunities to individuals and organisations, facilitating cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.
