UiTM Bags the Championship for this Year’s HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament

Kuala Lumpur, 13 May 2018 – The International Medical University (IMU)’s Debating Society together with Majlis Hal-Ehwal Pelajar – Institut Pengajian Tinggi Swasta (HEP-IPTS) jointly organised this year’s HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament once again where 120 debaters from 18 private and local universities across the nation took part and showcased their debating skills.

This is the third consecutive year that IMU has hosted the HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament with Majlis HEP-IPTS, with strong support by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), whose Deputy Director General of IPTS, Dr Mohd Nor Azman bin Hassan was present at the tournament. Over two intensive days, the teams battled it out using the Asian Parliamentary debating format for the preliminary rounds, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals all held at IMU’s Bukit Jalil campus. After a gripping final round debate, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) was announced the champion where its three debaters – Muqriz Mustaffa Kamal, Hafiz Muh Riza and Azim Nadzari – debated for the motion “One should live in a world where every need and pleasure are fulfilled in exchange for complete and total control of government over one’s life”. In first runner-up position was the team from Taylor’s University, whose team consisted of Mahdev Singh Sachdev, Katrina Adrian Empiang and Mahherrajan Narayanan who debated against the motion. Aside from these group winners, debaters covet the Best Speaker awards for Overall and the Grand Finals. This year, Mahherrajan Narayanan from Taylor’s University was named the winner of the Overall Best Speaker, who scored an average of 80 points with his captivating debating skills. Meanwhile, Muqriz Mustaffa Kamal from UiTM – who is named the second Best Speaker at a close average of 79 points – won the Grand Finals Best Speaker award.

Champions

First Runner- Up

Top Speakers

Team prizes included RM6,000 cash, trophies and book vouchers worth RM600 for the winning team, and RM4,500 cash, trophies and book vouchers worth RM600 for the runner-ups. The Overall Best Speaker and Grand Finals Best Speaker both each received RM500 cash, a challenge trophy and book vouchers worth RM200.

In his opening address, Dr Mohd Nor Azman shared the Ministry’s commitment in developing talented and outspoken individuals through events like the HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament. “It is the Ministry’s goal to propel the nation’s higher education to the next level. Today’s graduates need not only be academically sound but also equipped with essential soft skills such as the ability to interact effectively with others. It is also imperative that our students are not just book smart – they should be in the know of the on-goings inside and outside of the country.” “We want a generation of thought leaders who are actively involved in subject matters that will bring about a positive societal impact. Therefore, the Ministry strongly supports events such as the HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament as we believe that extracurricular activities among tertiary education institutions will drive our commitment forward in developing the professionals and leaders who will lead our country towards greater success. Ultimately, it all coincides with Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education) – the need to acknowledge that Malaysia’s higher education landscape is progressively changing and therefore, continuous efforts are needed to proper the nation’s higher education to the next level in order to achieve all that I’ve mention before.” Prof Peter Pook Chuen Keat, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of IMU said, while addressing the audience and participants at the tournament, “We believe all our graduates need to be good citizens and contribute to the development of the country in a professional manner. We look forward to collaborate further with other IPTS and IPTA and of course the Ministry of Education in the areas of higher education research, community service and development of programs in extra curricular activities.”

“As the student affairs council of IPTS, we are committed to drive the initiative like this for the development of future talents,” shared Dr Abdullah Sallehuddin, Chairman, Majlis HEP-IPTS after witnessing the debate. “Moving forward, we hope the Ministry of Higher Education will continue to provide more resources, support and systems for this kind of events. We regard these activities as part of developing future talent and the national building process.”

As part of the Higher Education Blueprint released by the MOHE in 2015, debates play an important role in fulfilling the various targets by the ministry, including developing young individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset and talent excellence. IMU has been actively engaging in activities that help meet these targets, with its joint organisation of the HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament as well as support as one of many. Related articles: HELP University won the HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament HEP-IPTS Debate Tournament Culminates in a Heated Grand Finals