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Press Release: Bar Council Human Rights Debate - “UDHR @ 60 and still not all is right” PDF Print E-mail
Contributed by Ambiga Sreenevasan   
Saturday, 11 October 2008 05:31pm

Ambiga SreenevasanThis year, in conjunction with International Human Rights Day on the 10th of December 2008 and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, the Bar Council will host the inaugural and unique ‘Human Rights Debate’ tournament which seeks to attract participants from international and local universities and schools, as well as members of the public. 

The theme of the Debate is “UDHR @ 60 and still not all is right”.

This Debate is probably the first in the world to be hosted by a statutory body of legal professionals.

The key objective of the tournament is to provide a platform for discussion of human rights norms, standards and issues as well as to promote human rights awareness in our country. The Bar Council hopes that the Debate will help bridge ethnic, linguistic and cultural gaps to foster respect and understanding on various rights-related issues.

More than 300 debaters around the world are expected to participate in the Debate.

The Debate will run based on the ‘British Parliamentary Debating Format’ where there would be four positions on the particular debate topic - the opening government, closing government, opening opposition and closing opposition. Each position will be represented by a team of two members. As such, there will be eight debaters for each debate topic.

Each speaker is allocated 7 minutes to present his/her arguments, and a ‘Point of Information’ is allowed to be given after the first and sixth minute of each speaker’s argument.

Participants may participate in this Debate either as debaters or adjudicators.

For those who do not wish to participate in the Debate, they may join the Public Speaking Competition to speak on any topic of their choice.

Attractive prizes await the winners.

We look forward to a lively and thought-provoking Debate that will challenge and deepen our understanding of human rights principles and issues.

Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan
President
Malaysian Bar


APPENDIX

The applicable fees in respect of the Debate Tournament and Public Speaking Competition are as follows:

I. Debate Tournament

For participants

RM250 per person (for debater)
RM250 per person (for adjudicator)
RM250 per person (for officer/ observer)

(Fee includes food and hotel accommodation)

Every team must have 2 debaters and 1 adjudicator. (For participating institutions, the maximum number of teams permitted is 5 per institution)

For ‘Stay At Home’ participants

RM180 per person (for debater)
RM180 per person (for adjudicator)
RM180 per person (for officer/observer)

(Fee includes food)

Every team must have 2 debaters and 1 adjudicator. (For participating institutions, the maximum number of teams permitted is 5 per institution)

II. Public Speaking Competition

RM50 per person

(Fee includes food)

Registration Process

Kindly send the requisite fee(s) to us via wire transfer by 10 November 2008, in accordance with the following details:

Bar Council
HSBC, No 2, Leboh Ampang, 50050 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Account No: 301-022166-001
SWIFT Code No: HBMBMYKL

(Please pay all bank charges so that the Bar Council receives the full amount of the fees.)

Alternatively, send your cheque(s) written in favour of the ‘Bar Council’ to us.

After transferring or sending your fee, email us at hrdebate08@malaysianbar.org.my, and tell us your name, institution, and the amount of money you transferred/sent. Attach a copy of the transfer slip/cheque and the registration form to the e-mail you sent. We will not cover transaction costs.

Contact us through e-mail at hrdebate08@malaysianbar.org.my or call Khaizan Sharizad (Sherrie) at 019-695 8939 or Chin Oy Sim at 03-2031 6367. Please fill in and return the respective registration forms by 10 November 2008.

Comments (2)Add Comment
What about the Human Rights Day March and Celebrations?
written by Charles Hector, Saturday, October 11 2008 07:38 pm

The last minute cancellation of the HR Day March in 2007 was sad BUT we hope that this year we will be having the Human Rights Day March again. (It is good if the Bar Website could also keep us updated with the status of case involving lawyers that were arrested when they proceeded to have the march..)

Bahasa Melayu ('Bahasa Malaysia') is the national language - and maybe there should also be the debate in the Malay language as well. We have to realize that the majority of the Malaysian public are definitely so much more fluent in Bahasa Melayu compared to the English language. As such, if our target is also the Malaysian public, then maybe some in Bahasa Melayu could also be done..

In solidarity,

Charles Hector

A leap in the right direction.
written by Tan Peek Guat, Saturday, October 11 2008 09:32 pm

It is indeed good to celebrate International Human Rights Day with participants from the world over. This is a 'leap in the right direction'.

If nothing else, it surely makes the Malaysian Bar world- renowned. This will also put our Bar activities in greater light - when compared to celebrating within our own little cocoons - and even then, with our Forum being so unfairly and unjustly attacked - even by own members of our own bar!

Let us hear what the international speakers have to say!

Tan Peek Guat


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