The 44th Musabaqoh Tilawatil Qur’an (MTQ) Provincial Level of Riau concluded in Kuantan Singingi on Friday, July 3, 2026. Secretary of the Riau Province, Dr. Syahrial Abdi, AP.M.Si, represented the Governor of Riau to officially close the event, which ran from June 26 to July 3, 2026. Rokan Hilir emerged as the overall champion, dominating top rankings across the competition categories.
Final Rankings and Performance
The competition saw 12 districts and cities from Riau Province compete for the top spots. Rokan Hilir secured the first-place position, followed by Bengkalis in second and host district Kuantan Singingi in third. The final standings for the 44th MTQ are as follows: 1. Rohil, 2. Bengkalis, 3. Kuansing, 4. Inhu, 5. Pekanbaru, 6. Siak, 7. Kampar, 8. Inhil, 9. Pelalawan, 10. Kepulauan Meranti, 11. Rohul, and 12. Dumai.
Kabupaten Pelalawan concluded the event in ninth place, marking a decline from its eighth-place finish at the 2025 MTQ in Bengkalis. Pelalawan’s singular first-place victory was achieved in the Qiraat Murattal Dewasa Putra category. The district also secured various second and third-place finishes, as well as several “Harapan” (hopeful/runner-up) recognitions in categories such as Tilawah, Tafsir Quran, and Karya Tulis Quran.
Did You Know? Kabupaten Pelalawan’s performance in the 2026 MTQ included a mix of accolades, yet the district failed to secure any juara in several categories, including Tilawah Tunanetra and various Hafalan Quran levels ranging from 1 to 30 juz.
Expert Insight
The drop in ranking for Pelalawan suggests a potential shift in competitive outcomes across Riau’s districts. With Rokan Hilir’s consistent dominance in the top three spots, other districts may need to re-evaluate their training and preparation strategies to remain competitive in future provincial cycles. The disparity between categories where participants excelled and those where they failed to place often highlights the need for targeted investment in specific religious education disciplines.
Looking Toward Future Competitions
Following the conclusion of the 44th MTQ, local administrations are likely to review their internal performance data to prepare for upcoming provincial events. Districts that saw lower rankings, such as Pelalawan, may initiate internal reviews of their training programs to address the gaps in categories where they did not place. Meanwhile, Rokan Hilir’s status as the overall champion establishes a benchmark for performance that other districts will aim to surpass in future iterations of the competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the overall championship at the 44th MTQ in Riau?
Rokan Hilir achieved the status of overall champion at the 44th MTQ held in Kuantan Singingi.
How did Pelalawan perform compared to the previous year?
Pelalawan finished in ninth place in 2026, which is a one-rank decline from its eighth-place finish at the 2025 MTQ held in Bengkalis.
What categories did Pelalawan win?
Pelalawan secured one first-place victory in the Qiraat Murattal Dewasa Putra category.
How might the results of this year’s competition influence the training focus for participating districts in the coming year?
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