Last Friday I went to witness the friendly match between USM Team 1 vs. UUM Team and USM Team 2 vs. Han Chiang College’s Team. It was a debate conducted in Chinese.
I walked in inconspicuously without making much noise because I’m a bit late and the MC had already started her speech, reading out the rules and regulations of the competition. So, I take a seat quietly at the back row of that lecture hall, DKA.
Looking at the entire hall, I felt that I’m like a stranger. I saw many supporters from USM who are actually Chinese language debaters, but I really don’t know anyone of them. I felt like I’m like the persona in the poem, “si tenggang’s homecoming”. Yes, I am a debater, but not in Chinese, in Malay instead. After the debate session is over and while waiting for the judges to decide on which team to win, the supporters started to discuss among each other and whispering. While I just sit alone at the same back row, avoiding eye-contact with them. I think I’m in an isolated world, feeling uneasy like a fish out of water. May be it’s my personality, that I’m actually very shy in nature. I should have mixed into their groups, joining their conversations, but I think I just do not have the guts to do so.
So I observed the way they debate. I was shocked because the time allocation for each debater is totally different with the Malay one. It’s only 4 minutes for first debater to speak, and 2 minutes and a half for second debater. And the third debater’s role seems to be just asking question. I’m unsure. But the best round is during the open debate session. And this open debate is also totally different with the Malay one. I think it’s more spontaneous, because after any debater from any opponent finished their question or answering question, they can take their seat, then any debater from the opposition will stand up and response, then sit again. The total time for one delegation is 4 minutes, if I’m not mistaken, but you can stand up as many times as you can, provided that after the 4 minutes, no one else from the delegation is allowed to speak. On the other hand, open debate session in Malay would be 12 minutes altogether, and each debater has maximum 1 minute and a half to speak each time they take turns.
I think my explanation is quite ambiguous. Anyway, the other difference is that there will be the forth debater who is responsible to conclude for four minutes, unlike Malay language debate, either first or second debater will do the part of summing up and “membuat timbang tara perdebatan”…
Well, after watching the match between three varsities. I think they already put something in my heart. I was really moved to stand up and debate again! I adored the second debater from UUM, she is very quick in thinking. The moment people asked her question, she can response it straightaway, without much thinking, and even less than a second, she rebuts as fast as the thunderstorm. I think I still lack of this kind of ability. I can think, but I take times to think, may be my mind has been rusty since I’ve quit debate for a long period already.
Thus, I was in a quandary again. Shall I join Chinese language debate? If yes, I’ll have to start all over again. My standard would be the same as the first year student, because I lack of experience in Chinese debate as well as the lexical items used for that. I used to be a Chinese public speaker in high school, but not a Chinese language debater.
At the same time, shall I join Malay language debate again in coming inter-hostel competition, or so-called DPNC? I’ve got what I wanted - championship and the award of best debater. But in Chinese language debate, I have nothing, just like the Whitney Houston song, “I have nothing.” Can anyone take over my role to represent my hostel? I’ll bend over my back to help.
May be, I should just keep this passion inside, without letting it explore. Last time, when I walked pass DK Foyer in my first year, I used to experience the same feeling. I saw Kak Nurul promoting Malay language debate and asking me to join, and I told her that I’ll think over. Then I told myself that I need to prioritise my academic and should consider giving it up. But at last, I still being persuaded successfully by my hostel-mate to take part in DPNC, because that time if I refuse to join, there will be no other surrogate non-native debater, and it would jeopardize the entire team, making them not qualified to register if lack of non-native debater.
I think what I got to do now is just focus on my final exam without thinking much about this issue. Sometimes, when I wanted to join, I also need to see whether the people over there willing to accept me or not. It would be a shame if I open my heart already, but people just closing their arms, being indifferent. And the atmosphere of the debate circle is very essential, be it systematic or in a state of chaos.
