13th MFotM at MIECC

Visitors checking out some games during the festival

The 13th Malaysia Festival of the Mind (MFotM), a concerted effort by the Malaysia Mental Literacy Movement (MMLM), UTAR and Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC), was held at the MINES International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) from 3 November to 5 November 2017, in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur Engineering Science Fair.

The three-day festival was aimed to imprint the importance of mental literacy among the public as well as to introduce and promote various techniques and skills pertaining to the improvement of mental literacy such as critical thinking skills, memory skills and creativity.

To encourage the growth of mental literacy among Malaysians, the event offered a series of games, exhibitions and activities related to mental literacy to the public and schools. One of the festival highlights was International Sport Stacking Federation (ISSF) Sport Stacking Competition, a new sport in which stackers were required to stack cups in a specific sequence and take them down within a short period of time.

The Sport Stacking Competition was categorised into three parts—the 3-3-3, three stacks of three cups each; 3-6-3, three stacks of three, six and three cups; and the Cycle, a sequence of three formations, in different groups where the age of participants ranged from under six to 14. The special guests who were present at the event were MMLM Treasurer Ong Whee Tiong, Secretary Lim Guat Yen, “Human Calculator” West Wong Woon Chieng, and ISSF Taiwan Chief Executive Officer William Wu.

Participants during the poker cards memorisation challenge

Participants listening attentively to the instructor during Takaro Board Games

The participants working on origami with the instructor's guidance

Other activities, at the festival, were also inclusive of hands-on workshops, virtual and augmented reality experience, memory demonstration, mind games, hourly activity corner—green glade, cool interactive sessions as well as a showcase of training programmes, consultative services, videos and mental-literacy-related products. Apart from that, there was a lucky draw session which offered visitors a chance to win attractive prizes.

Tui-Na therapy by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) student

Lu (fourth from right) with his friends and teacher (far left)

One of the booths, set up by UTAR Centre for Research in Traditional Chinese Medicine, provided the visitors with a Tui-Na massage which focused on specific acupressure points, energy trigger points and muscles surrounding the affected area. Lu Hao Jie, a TCM exchange student who came from China, shared his insights about the connection of TCM between China and Malaysia and said, “I’m grateful to be here and I’ve gained a lot of practical experience.”

Jacky demonstrating the cup stacking

When asked, the President of ISSF Jacky Chin Keat Wooi said, “Most people don't realise that the sport stacking is not just a game, but also a fitness-based sport. One will heat up and possibly sweat a lot if he plays stacking for 15 to 20 minutes. It also engages the right and left hemispheres of the brain, and this could help the player to improve their concentration, focus and persistence, which might be a help in their academics. However, their attitudes are most important.” 

Low (second from right) receiving the award from guest presenter Lim, while West Wong (far left) and Ong look on

Low Zi Hong, a shy and young boy who was only eight years old, won the first place for both 3-3-3 and Cycle categories meant for seven to eight-year-old group. He learned stacking from the network since he was six, and he watched a lot of the sport stacking exercise video on YouTube especially the video of a young talented stacker called Yong-Deng Lin. His mother was the one who encouraged him to take part in this competition and he eventually gained the self-confidence through the competition.

Janice (left) receiving the award from William

Another YouTube learner, Janice Mun said she enjoyed playing cup stacking because she believed that it is an incredible way to reduce stress. With her two years’ stacking experiences, she won the first place for both 3-3-3 and 3-6-3 categories as well as second place for the cycle category among the 13-year-old group.

The first station of MFotM previously took place at TAR UC on 8 and 9 July 2017; followed by the second station at UTAR Kampar Campus on 15 and 16 July 2017.

Held annually, the MFotM has successfully attracted favourable responses from all segments of society, from young school-going children to working adults and retirees, since its launch in 2007. It was proudly sponsored and supported by LBS Bina Group Berhad, YHI (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd—the sole distributor of Yokohama tyres, Bayer Co. (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Top Glove Foundation, Melpac Sdn Bhd, Maju Tmas Sdn Bhd, The Star, Grand Kampar Hotel, Hock Seng Food (M) Sdn Bhd and Aktifotak.