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.