Daniel was named grand prize winner of the eighth Dublin Literary Award for Young Malaysians 2011.

He also bagged a trip to Dublin, Ireland to attend the gala ceremony for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and to visit the city in June.

“I am better at public speaking than writing.I was dumbfounded but felt happy when they announced me as the winner.

Proud moment: Kelly (centre) presenting the mock flight ticket to Daniel during the award presentation ceremony held at Kelly’s residence in Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur while other contestants look on.

“I know there are a lot of better writers than me in this competition,” said the SMK Sultan Abdul Samad student yesterday.

Daniel recited his story in front of the guests at the prize-giving ceremony at the residence of Ireland’s high commissioner to Malaysia.

He said he tried entering the contest for the past three years but kept missing the deadlines.

His story on Malaysian youth was a descriptive essay in narrative form.

The protagonist of the story Daniel relates the collision of the conventional and traditional culture of his parents and modern living where everything is fast paced.

At the beginning of the story, Daniel wakes up to the sound of the Muslim call to prayer followed by church bells signalling that the time for him to go to school is ever closer.

Then he relates his life at school through music by forming a band with his schoolmates where his band merges traditional sounds with modern music.

Daniel described the symphonies of sounds in his story as “the soundtrack of my country”.

Ireland’s high commissioner to Malaysia Declan Kelly said it was difficult to determine the winner as the finalists wrote great stories.

The overall winner in the junior category was Eibhlin Lin San Ying, 15, a SMK Convent Klang student.

The competition was organised by the High Commission and supported by the Education Ministry and the National Library of Malaysia.

The Star was the official media partner. Others which supported the event included Etihad Airways and Education Ireland.

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/20/nation/8722665&sec=nation