KOTA SAMARAHAN: University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) hosted the Debat Diraja Championship 2024 among institutions of higher learning (IPT) to cultivate a new generation of competent and intellectually sharp young leaders.
The grand finale at Arena Gemilang, DeTAR PUTRA, UNIMAS, was officiated by Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, who also witnessed the finals of the Bahasa Melayu category yesterday (Nov 18).
This year’s theme, ‘Jalinan Perpaduan’ (Weaving Unity), highlights the importance of unity and harmony in building an integrated society, aligning the uniqueness of Sarawak as the host state and celebrating its ethnic and cultural diversity.
The competition, hosted on a digital platform and started with online preliminary rounds from Nov 8 to Nov 10, featured 63 teams from 23 public and private institutions of higher learning nationwide.
Eighty participants from 11 institutions made it to the quarterfinals to compete in the grand finale.
Universiti Malaya (UM) and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) advanced to the finals in the Arabic and English Language categories.
Meanwhile, the Malay Language Debate category saw Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) securing spots in the finals.
The champions of the championship were Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) in the Malay Language category, Universiti Malaya (UM) in the English Language category, and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in the Arabic Language category.
A standout feature of this year’s event was the incorporation of the Pusar Bedus, a traditional rattan weaving technique used to decorate the sheaths of Iban and Orang Ulu ceremonial swords in Sarawak, as the inspiration for the championship’s graphic design.
The design, created by senior lecturer Sylvester Wielding Jussem of the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts, UNIMAS, symbolises the unity and strong bonds of a multi-ethnic and multicultural society,
For the record, the Debat Diraja Championship, established in 1995, has been a crucial platform endorsed by the Ministry of Higher Education to cultivate students’ intellectual abilities, communication skills, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning by exploring current issues.
