Welcome!

Bar Council Human Rights Debate 2008
9-12 December 2008

“UDHR @ 60 and still not all is right”

This year, in conjunction with Human Rights Day on the 10th of December 2008 and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, the Bar Council Human Rights Committee has decided that we need not walk. We should talk. We will be organizing a unique ‘Human Rights Debate’ tournament which seeks to attract participants from universities and schools, as well as members of the public to debate on the theme “UDHR @ 60 and still not all is right”. The Debate preliminary rounds will be held in KDU College (Petaling Jaya Campus).

Closing Address by Zarizana Abdul Aziz, Deputy Chairperson, Bar Council Human Rights Committee

There is no other way to start this closing address than to say how impressed I am by the level of debate and public speaking over the last three days. The debaters and speakers were articulate; they were earnest. They embraced whole heartedly the human rights motions put before them.

More importantly, however, this debate symbolises what we already know we are capable of. Talking without offending; listening without judging; and understanding that just as my rights are mine and they are not negotiable, your rights are yours and they are not negotiable.

Zaid: We need to get our young people to recognise the rights they have

© Malaysian Bar (Used with permission)
Contributed by Lai Chee Hoe

In conjunction with the Human Rights Debate 2008 organised by the Bar Council Human Rights Committee, an International Human Rights Day gala dinner was held at Modesto’s, Desa Sri Hartamas.

Lawyers and guests started to stream in at 7.00pm. The event started off with the welcome address by Andrew Khoo, the Co-Deputy Chair of the Human Rights Committee. Andrew brought along a bicycle wheel and voiced his disappointment over the recent arrests of members of Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT) by the police. He described human rights as a tyre covering and protecting the spokes and the frame of a wheel.

“You could ride the bicycle with a flat tyre but eventually you will damage the frame. Likewise if you ignore human rights, you undermine the basic structure of our country and you will eventually destroy it.”

International Human Rights Day Dinner

The dinner/party was smashing. Despite the rain, participants, guests and media started arriving as early as 630 to register themselves on the guestlist.

Big up to the Canadian embassy for hosting the event.

Andrew Khoo giving his welcoming speech with a bicycle wheel

Canadian rep giving his opening speech

 

Dato' Zaid Ibrahim delivering his keynote speech

Some light entertainment from Hidayah

And Black

President of the Malaysian Bar boogie woogie with the crowd

After the dinner, the Adjudicator Core announced the teams for the Semi Final. More after this post.

HR Debate 2008: Keynote speech by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim – “Human Rights – Unplugged”

Ladies and gentlemen

1.    Human Rights- Unplugged. In the context of today’s topic, the term ‘unplugged’ came to us from the music industry. Musicians, so often dependent on electronic and electrical devices to create their unique sounds, literally pulled the plug and returned to their basic acoustic roots. Since the inauguration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights some 60 years ago, the term ‘human rights’ has acquired an accretion of concepts and shades of meaning that its essential meaning is often lost in the clutter. Ask the man in the street today what human rights are and if he answers at all, he is likely to suggest that it is a Western concept which plays little or no role in his daily life. Yet it is trite that we are all human, and as acknowledged by the Universal Declaration, that fact alone gives us certain inalienable rights -rights that cannot be removed or trampled over by individuals, groups or governments. Human rights unplugged, is in essence the fundamental principles we need to live by as a civil and civilised society – to treat each other as human beings should; with dignity, with  due regard to our status as equals , having the same rights and vulnerabilities as everyone around us. It is a state where the rule of law acts to protect people from abuse and oppression.

It’s the Quarter Finals!

After 2 rounds of debating today, we finally reached the Quarter Finals.

The Adjudicator Core busy tabulating the scores in the Nerve Centre aka Tab Room

Deliberating, deliberating...

Elias punching scores

And we have a winner.

In anticipation of the breaking results

Mac Faisal announcing the breaking results

The teams that made it to the Quarter Finals in descending order are:

NUS E

UKM A

IIU B

UT MARA 3

UM B

MMU 1

UM C

NUS C

UM A

IIU A

UT MARA 1

UT MARA 5

NUS A

Sivanathan A

NUS B

WUPID 1

Drawing lots to determine their positions in the quarter final

Neill announcing the match-ups for quarter finals

And the motion is……

“This House would create a national compulsory DNA Database“

The teams who will make it to the semis will be announced later. Watch this space for updates.

Day 3

Our volunteers getting ready for another day of keeping time

The tournament continues! After a few hiccups (some debaters arrived late for roll-call, and some debaters could not form enough team) Day 2 started off with Round 4 at 11am and the motion was “This House believes that it is the state’s responsibility to feed, clothe, house and give free healthcare to the poor“. Soon after Round 4 ended, participants had their lunch and Round 5 continued at around 130pm with the motion “This House believes that Malay language should be the only of instruction in school“.

‘Sensitive’ topics to the fore at varsity debate

Malaysiakini by Rahmah Ghazali (Dec 10, 08 6:32pm)

In most instances, issues such as legalising same-sex unions and the government’s obligations to human rights would be considered ’sensitive’ topics in Malaysia.

However, university students took these in their stride on Day One of the Bar Council’s four-day rolling debate on human rights.

At Kolej Damansara Utama (KDU), which is hosting part of the event in conjunction with World Human Rights Day. Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

More than 100 students and members of the public turned their attention the theme ‘UDHR@60 and still not all is right’.

The Bar kept its word that the debate would not create any controversy, as the participants are to only talk about basic human rights.

And the first motion is……

Neill doing roll-call

“This House would legalised same sex union“

And so it begins. The tournament kicked off at around 1030am with Neill calling the roll-call for the participants. A swing team had to be formed because there was an odd number of teams in the total tab. By 11am, teams started to make their way to their respective debate rooms. With a total of 11 rooms, one is spoilt with which debate to listen to. First round ended at around 1230pm.

Speak your heart out!: Human Rights Debate 2008 Opening Ceremony

© Malaysian Bar (Used with permission)
Contributed by Noor Arianti Binti Osman

Kuala Lumpur, 9 December 2008 – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) turns 60 on 10 December 2008. In celebration of this commemorative year and the Human Rights Day this year, the Bar Council Human Rights Committee is organising the ‘Human Rights Debate’ tournament, which will be held at KDU College from 9th to 12th December, carrying the theme: UDHR @ 60 and still not all is right.

The event was officially opened today at the Bar Council Auditorium by renowned humanist, activist and former ISA detainee, Dr. Syed Husin Ali.

Keynote Address and Official Opening by Dr. Syed Husin Ali

Let me first of all thank the organizers and the Bar Council for inviting me to officiate the opening of your Human Rights Day celebration tonight. Truly, I feel deeply honoured. In our society it is indeed extremely rare for a person outside the political mainstream and not holding any high official position in government to be invited to perform this role. Small as it may seem this gesture is indeed significant because it shows time is indeed achanging.

Secondly, I must congratulate you young lawyers of the Bar for celebrating this Day by organizing a debate amongst students. This is an innovative if not a creative move. I understand that this is the first time the Bar Council celebrates the Human Rights Day in this manner. I am told that the debate has attracted about 150 student participants from various schools inside and outside the country. I do not know if it is also the first competition of its kind in the whole world. Be that as it may, I salute all of you.