Speak With Conviction - UCTI Debating Society

Speak with conviction. This is the formula that the UCTI debating society promoted in UCTI over the year. The society which was founded in 2009 is aimed at developing the communication and public speaking skills of UCTI students through a fun mind game called debating.

Through debating, students not only learn how to overcome their fear and speak confidently in public, but at the same time learn about everyday issues such as social, economic, and political issues around the world. This encourages students to be critical and open-minded to controversial issues by analyzing both sides of the picture (positive and negative).

Managed by Mark Darren Savuriar (President), Teh Tian Yan (Vice President), Danial Hamzah (Secretary General) and Timothy Gerard Andrew (Treasurer), this year the society has developed rapidly with many achievements.

In 2009, the society represented UCTI in the quarter-finals of national tournaments such as the UiTM Novice and IMU Inter-Varsities. At the regional platform, UCTI reached the octo-finals of the Asian BP Championship in Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok – Thailand as well as quarter-finals of the Great Serdang Debate in University Putra Malaysia.

In 2010, the society participated in many regional and international tournaments such as the Malaysia Debate Open, Singapore Debate Open, United Asian Debating Championship in Assumption University, Bangkok, International Humanitarian Law Debate and many more in the list.

Outstanding achievements this year were contributed by Mark Darren and Choo Jiun Yan who emerged as runner up in a national debate competition held in Politeknik Merlimau Melaka. Timothy Andrew emerged as finalists in MMU IV and maintained that title at KDU Pro-Am together with his team mate, Choo Jiun Yean. Furthermore, Timothy Andrew, Phodiso Mptokwane and Danial Hamzah made it through the quarter-finals of UiTM Novice and Iskandar Debate Open in UTM, Johor Bahru. Mark Darren and Teh Tian Yan made it through to the semi-finals of SMU BP IV, Singapore. Last but not least, Lesego Barona Otlhabanye was top 10 adjudicator for Ramadhan IV and Singapore Debate Open.

In giving back to the UCTI society, the debate club had successfully organized public speaking and presentation workshops in which our members shared tips and tricks to overcome the fear of speaking in public and built the foundations for UCTI students to be great speakers and presenters.

In spreading the debating culture, the society organized a public debate session where students participated and voiced out their opinions. Another successful event this year was the 1st UCTI Debate Open which attracted debaters from all over Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. UCTI’s very own tournament was held in conjunction with a debating seminar by Andy Hume, a 1997 Worlds University Debating Champion.

Currently, the debating society is representing UCTI among other universities around the globe in the Worlds University Debating Championship in University of Botswana. The society intends to gradually spread the debating culture in UCTI and continuously promote UCTI as a globally recognized award-winning university.

For more information about the UCTI Debating Society Visit www.UCTIDebates.com