‘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.

Interestingly, the debaters did not draw from the situation in Malaysia, but put across general points of view and arguments based on examples from other countries.

The most hotly-debated topic was on ‘Detention without trial for suspected terrorists’.

Although Malaysia has the Internal Security Act, which allows for indefinite detention without trial, the debaters focused on the United States, which has been holding suspected terrorists at its Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Citing the Sept 11 attacks, Bali bombings, Madrid bombings and the recent Mumbai attacks, the National University of Singapore (NUS) team triumphed after arguing that suspected terrorists are entitled to a trial, whether or not they are guilty.

“We don’t mind detention or imprisonment but we do mind indefinite detention. For example, detention should be allowed for only 28 days, and you have to release the detainees after that,” said Ang Wee Jian, 23.

“You are innocent until you are brought to trial and proven guilty.”

Universiti Institut Teknologi Mara, represented by Nur Atiqah Mohd Zaki,19, and Tariq Azfar Maketab, 22, made their case for indefinite detention, saying that the authorities need time to gather information and evidence.

However, Rebecca Ow of Universiti Malaya rebutted this, pointing out that, even with the detentions in Guantanamo Bay, terror-attacks have continued.

“Taking away suspected terrorists for detention without trial is against the rule of law and it creates a bad image of the country,” she countered.

“Besides, they have not been proven guilty. That is why they are called ’suspected’ and they are therefore entitled to a trial.”

Promotion of free speech

Other teams were sent by Universiti Teknologi Mara, KDU, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Multimedia, Advance Tertiary College and Malacca High School.

Foreign tertiary institutions like Temasik Polytechnic, the Sarawak-based Swinburne University and the Selangor-based Monash University are also taking part.

According to the organising committee chairperson Kharisan Shahrizad Abd Razak (right), the event is aimed at promoting free speech and to promote awareness and education on human rights norms, practices and standards.

“We also hope to provide an avenue for open discourse, exchange opinions and diverse arguments within the context of a competition,” she said.

Each position is represented by a team of two members. Hence, there are eight debaters for each topic.

Each debater is allowed seven minutes to present the argument. A ‘point of information’ is allowed to be given after the first and sixth minute of each speaker’s argument.

Participants are eliminated if they do not accumulate sufficient points by the end of the day.