- Representative of the Ministry of Education, Puan Zalina Kamis addressing the crowd during the opening ceremony.
The lively Limkokwing Choir performed at the event
Puan Zalina Kamis was presented with a commemorative poster of the event.
Students from the Royal Military College greeting Tuan Haji Mohd Anuar bin Abdul Hamid.
The excited students cheering eagerly as the competition was official launched.
Students during the opening ceremony of the competition.
The students receiving their debate motions.
An interview with Tuan Haji Mohd Anuar bin Abdul Hamid.
The debaters in actions.
The students presented valid arguments for the motions they were given.
Students during a debating session.
The students showed a high level of confidence and good public speaking skills in delivering their arguments.
A debating session in progress.
Limkokwing University launched its first ever International Debating Championship on the 20th February 2014. The launching ceremony was attended by two representatives from the Malaysian Ministry of Education; Chief Senior Assistant Director of student activities, Tuan Haji Mohd Anuar bin Abdul Hamid, and Puan Zalina Kamis. Also in attendance was Editor in Chief of Passion Magazine, and Executive Director of Adaikalaraj media Group, Dato Beatrice Nirmala.
The competition, which is endorsed by the Malaysian Ministry of education, was held at the University’s Cyberjaya campus, and it was attended by 200 teams of over 400 students from across the nation, making it the world’s biggest debating championship ever held.
It was created as a platform to encourage students to sharpen their communication skills, especially in strategic thinking and speaking in English. It aims at bringing students from all walks of life together to learn the art of persuasion, and to build their confidence through the spirit of competition. This in turn develops them into smart negotiators, skilled and knowledgeable communicators that are able to lead the country to an improved economy.
“As a global University, we are in the best position to provide the platform for Malaysian youth to achieve the competency they will require.”
The University has always been active in youth development and empowerment programs, providing various talent development platforms to prepare the youth for the future. Speaking on the University’s endeavour to develop youth to their full potential, Founder and President of Limkokwing University, Tan Sri Limkokwing said,
“As a global University, we are in the best position to provide the platform for Malaysian youth to achieve the competency they will require.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Puan Zalina Kamis said events that encourage youth, such as this debate championship, were in line with the Malaysian National Education Blueprint, which ‘aspires to have every student reach their full potential.’
“The Malaysian government aspires to ensure that every student has knowledge, thinking skills, leadership skills, bilingual proficiency, ethics, values, and national identity. This event is a step in the right direction in ensuring that aspiration happens,” she said.
She continued to advise the students to use the competition as a challenge to themselves, to see what they are capable of, so that they can develop and improve themselves.
“The University feels compelled to produce a new genre of youth leaders, well prepared to move with confidence in this globalized environment.”
“This event is where you get to see how far you can produce high order thinking skills which we encourage you to have.
Also at the event, Limkokwing University Vice President, Dato’ Fajura Juffa said the University has an obligation of preparing the youth in order to reach the Malaysian government’s vision of taking the economy to a high income status.
“In line with the Malaysian government’s wish to migrate the economy into high income status, the University feels compelled to produce a new genre of youth leaders, well prepared to move with confidence in this globalized environment.”
The competition will be judged by a panel of independent adjudicators for the preliminary rounds, and the finals, which will be on the 23rd February, will be judged by a panel of special guest judges. The winners will also be crowned on the same day.
The winning team will walk away with RM10, 000 and the Limkokwing International Debating Championship Challenge trophy for the Grand Prize. Members of the winning team get full scholarship to study in Limkokwing University, and they will also go to London for the University’s one-month Global Classroom experience.
The runner up will receive RM3,000 and a trophy, while the third and fourth prizes will be RM1, 500 and a trophy for each team.
An overall best speak will be selected, who will receive RM 500 and a trophy, a there will also be a prize of RM 200 and a trophy for the top ten speakers.