More than one hundred and twenty young debating enthusiasts from eight schools in Perak gathered at Tenby Schools Ipoh to participate in the Global Perspectives Debates 1/2015.
The competition organised and sponsored by Tenby Schools Ipoh, provides a biannual platform for debating in English on topics of global interest. Global Perspectives (GP) Debates 1/2015 drew a record level participation from schools in the Kinta Valley and beyond.
“Our bonus this year was the response to our debates from beyond the Kinta Valley,” commented Maiko Yamane, the Tenby Sixth Former who served as Convenor of the debates. “Malay College Kuala Kangsar, one of the premier schools in Malaysia sent two teams to the competition and they helped place GP 1/2015 on the national map of debating competitions.”
At present, Kuala Lumpur still leads as the epicentre of national debate competitions with debate events organised by HELP University College and Limkokwing University College.
“Ipoh should not simply surrender to the pull of our capital city, Kuala Lumpur,” remarked Celeste Tan, co-convenor of the GP debates at Tenby Ipoh. “Ipoh is one of the cities that has produced great orators who have sustained the parliamentary and judicial tradition in Malaysia. Remember the Seenivasagam brothers, UN ambassador Radhakrishna Ramani, Dato’ Panglima Bukit Gantang Abdul Wahab, Justice Chang Min Tat and Justice Chan Nyarn Hoi.”
These sentiments were supported by teacher Mr Raj Kumar, advisor of the two outstanding debating teams from SMK Sam Tet Ipoh, another premier school in Perak. “It is important to encourage our students to express themselves in English as it is a world language. Everywhere in the world, there is a need to help young people transcend extremism and parochialism. Debates are a wonderful way to get people to listen to a different point of view.”
Teacher-advisor from Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman Ipoh, Pn Fadzlin, echoed similar sentiments.
“The GP debates organised by Tenby Schools are a wonderful social gathering for the young intellectuals in Ipoh to think and define themselves in the face of the future,” commented the teacher-advisor who commended Tenby Schools Ipoh for sponsoring this opportunity for like-minded students and teachers to make Ipoh and Malaysia a stronger force for a better world.
In all, a total of 22 teams from eight schools in Perak participated.
The champion team was the Tenby Sixth Form team comprising Jasdeep Singh and Vaishnevy Athithan while second and third place went to Malay College Kuala Kangsar with fourth placing going to Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh.
The adjudicators in the final debate were three prominent Ipoh lawyers: Mr Shan Thevin (Chief Adjudicator), Mr Edwin Siebel and Mr Premjit Singh.
The list of participating schools included Tenby Schools Ipoh, Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Malay College Kuala Kangsar, SMK Anderson, SMK Sam Tet, SMK Ave Maria Convent and Poi Lam Private School, Ipoh.
