The Birth of Great "Liars"by Ahmad Shazni Hamim
19 September 2011-Nabil drove Darshini and Roeshan, the two people who will spearhead Brickfields Asia College’s first debate team(s). This is really, I mean, really, the new voyage for amateur liars. Yes, I was there too just to make it an even number and coming without any knowledge about debate, the debating procedure whatsoever, I have to admit, my first exposure to the debate-o-sphere was extremely heavy in terms of issues that were being raised such as whether it will be a British or Asian parliamentary style of debate. Nevertheless, it goes to show that debating is actually a skill that not only requires you to be in control of the issues put forward and be comfortable with yourself while presenting but also, a strategy is needed to win as who are you going to field in for your first speaker, closing speech and all may affect your team’s overall performance and flow. It was intense. There was a particular culture that I happened to observe whilst in the midst of drowning myself in a debater suit - when you are a debater holding a say on something, it is fatal if you try to agree with the opposing team. I know this visualises the imbecile moronic me but my point is that you are actually at war against the opposing party. Hence, with your restricted resources and ideas, you will try to justify by any means of evidence you have to ensure that your team will taste victory. What the great General Mao Zedong said was true after all as he uttered "the only real defence is active defence".
19 September 2011-Nabil drove Darshini and Roeshan, the two people who will spearhead Brickfields Asia College’s first debate team(s). This is really, I mean, really, the new voyage for amateur liars. Yes, I was there too just to make it an even number and coming without any knowledge about debate, the debating procedure whatsoever, I have to admit, my first exposure to the debate-o-sphere was extremely heavy in terms of issues that were being raised such as whether it will be a British or Asian parliamentary style of debate. Nevertheless, it goes to show that debating is actually a skill that not only requires you to be in control of the issues put forward and be comfortable with yourself while presenting but also, a strategy is needed to win as who are you going to field in for your first speaker, closing speech and all may affect your team’s overall performance and flow. It was intense. There was a particular culture that I happened to observe whilst in the midst of drowning myself in a debater suit - when you are a debater holding a say on something, it is fatal if you try to agree with the opposing team. I know this visualises the imbecile moronic me but my point is that you are actually at war against the opposing party. Hence, with your restricted resources and ideas, you will try to justify by any means of evidence you have to ensure that your team will taste victory. What the great General Mao Zedong said was true after all as he uttered "the only real defence is active defence".
We met up with Latif Abdul Rahman at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). Mr. Latif is a very experienced trainer and he was very generous in giving us the opportunity to ask numerous questions regarding the issue of debate. Certainly, he has helped Roeshan and Darshini tremendously by handing them contacts of other personnel and advised what they should do next. The meeting lasted for about two hours or so. When we were on our way back to KL Sentral, I noticed Roeshan and Darshini were still contemplating whether to scout for trainers to strengthen their machinery. It was after all, a serious business for them. As autonomous as a college’s society can go, I hope that Darshini and Roeshan will be able to set up great debate team(s), like Muhammad Yunus who developed microcredit and microfinance in Bangladesh and then established Grameen Bank, also, Tony Fernandez with his idealism turned into realism. We, the editorial board of BAC Law Society Newsletter, have nothing else to say but good luck and selamat maju jaya!
