Over 20 debating teams from major schools in Ipoh locked horns from Friday, September 8 to Sunday, September 10 to establish their oratorical rankings in the Kinta Valley. This fiesta of verbal duels was organised by the Sixth Form Union of Tenby Schools Ipoh.
“The Global Perspectives Debates (GPD) are a biannual event management challenge for the Tenby Sixth Form,” stated Mohd Rizdzuan Yahya Mat Som, the student convener of the event. “It gives the Tenby Sixth Formers a great opportunity to gain organisational experience, not only in running the debates but also in customer relations, school marketing and in emceeing parts of the event.”
Most important of all, debating has been a hallowed tradition in the Kinta Valley which has moulded some of the greatest international figures from Malaysia, among them the legendary Radhakrishna Ramani, Malaysia’s first Ambassador to the United Nations and Dr Yeoh Ghim Seng who became President of the Republic of Singapore.
The debaters at GPD 2/2017 were apprised of the many personalities that have won international acclaim as outstanding orators produced by the schools of Ipoh. Among the honourable mentions were Professor Dr Ruth Wong, H.E. Victoria Treadell, Dr Toh Chin Chye, Dato’ Panglima Bukit Gantang Abdul Wahab , Dato’ Aminuddin Baki and the Seenivasagam brothers.
“This knowledge of their great forebears in the debating scene is a tremendous boost to our present-day debaters in Ipoh,” adds Hannah Raj, the organising secretary of the debates. “They are imbued with a strong sense of the vital importance of the English language for Malaysians of today and tomorrow.”
The schools which participated were Tenby Schools Ipoh (7 teams), SMK Sam Tet (2 teams), Poi Lam Private School (2 teams), SMK St Michael (2 teams), SMK Main Convent HIJ (1 team), SMK Ave Maria Convent (2 teams), SMK Buntong (2 teams) and Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (2 teams).
SMK Sam Tet emerged as champion while SMK St Michael, the runner-up.
Ed
