North Sumatra Quran reading quality sees significant improvement, judges say

Judges at the 40th Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran (MTQ) for North Sumatra have observed a significant increase in the quality of participants' reading, marking a notable advancement compared to previous years.

Syaifuddin Hazmi Lubis, the Head of the MTQ's Judging Panel, stated that several contestants have already achieved scores of 95 or higher, despite the competition only being four days old. He noted that in recent years, the highest scores generally did not exceed 94 out of a possible 100.

This year's MTQ features 1,109 participants from 28 regencies and cities across North Sumatra, competing in eight branches and 28 categories. The event is taking place in Deli Serdang from June 15 to June 24, 2026. Lubis expressed optimism that this enhanced quality will help North Sumatra achieve its goal of a top-five ranking at the National MTQ in 2026.

Furthermore, Lubis indicated that approximately 50 percent of the participants possess national-level experience and quality, suggesting strong potential for the province at the national level. The Provincial Government of North Sumatra, led by Governor Bobby Nasution, has pledged to award a pilgrimage to Mecca (Umrah) to the top 10 winners of the 40th North Sumatra MTQ.