Background
The Malaysia Mental Literacy Movement (“MMLM”) is the brainchild of Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, the Chancellor of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR). It was officially registered by the Registrar of Societies (“ROS”) under the Societies Act 1966 on 4 July 2006.
Objectives
The objectives of MMLM are to introduce and promote various techniques and skills pertaining to the improvement of mental literacy such as memory skills, thinking skills and creativity among Malaysians. In doing so, MMLM wishes to contribute to the development and upgrading of human capital resources which are necessary to meet the challenges of 21st century globalisation.
To support the development of mental literacy skills, MMLM organises activities that contribute positively to the achievement of its goals that are aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to transform our world.
A signature event of MMLM is the Malaysia Festival of the Mind that has attracted 250,000 participants since its inaugural launch in 2007. The festival has garnered favourable response from all segments of society, from young school-going children to working adults and retirees.
Another significant event staged by MMLM is the Mind Competitions that consist of the Memory Competition, Mind Mapping Competition and Mental Calculation Competition. The competitions are held annually and open to all including primary and secondary school students, university students, working professionals and retirees. Since its inception, 14,300 participants have registered to test their mental ability in the competitions.
In 2018, MMLM in collaboration with the Kuala Lumpur Engineering Science Fair (KLESF) organised the Mind & STEM Festival in Kuching, East Malaysia to promote mental literacy skills and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The annual event has attracted 3,700 visitors to date ranging from primary and secondary school students, university students to
Additionally, MMLM organises school talks, public talks and webinars for all ages to enhance cognitive ability. Among the topics delivered by our expert speakers include Unleash Your Creative Genius, Magic of Memory, How to Boost Your Memory, Numeracy with SMART Brain Power, Sharpen Your Brain During the Shutdown, and Learning in the AI Era. These talks and webinars have benefited more than 113,000 community members thus far.
Apart from providing an opportunity for every level of society to improve and sharpen their minds, these mental literacy activities also encourage integration and unity among the community as they can be participated by people from all walks of life. Leveraging on this advantage, MMLM is uniquely suited as a platform to help propel the nation to greater heights in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Note: The figures provided above are as at 31 December 2021.
