DATUK WIRA TAN SRI ABDUL RAHMAN ARSHAD

PARLIAMENTARY STYLE DEBATE COMPETITION

ROLE OF CHAIRPERSON (SPEAKER)

BEFORE A DEBATE

1. Write on the blackboard/whieboard

(a) which team is the Government (Affirmative) and Opposition (Negative)
(b) the names of the debaters for both teams
(c) the names of the speakers who will be delivering the Reply Speech

2. Record the names of the adjudicators.

3. Record the name(s) of the timekeeper(s).

DURING A DEBATE

1. I would like to invite the Government and the Opposition teams to take their seats.

2. Greeting

Panel of distinguished adjudicators,

Ladies and gentlemen

Assalamualaikum / A very good morning (afternoon) to all present today

3. Welcome to the (quarter-final/semi-final/final) of the Kawasan _________________ /

__________________ State / National-level Inter-School English Language debate for the Tan Sri
Datuk Wira Abdul Rahman Arshad Challenge Trophy.

4. The motion for todays debate is This House Believes That

______________________________________________________ _____________________

5. First allow me to introduce to you our panel of distinguished adjudicators for todays debate.

(a) The Chief Adjudicator is ______________________________ (name). Datuk/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Mdm/Miss

is a /the ______________________________ from ______________________________.

(b) Next, we have ______________________________ from ______________________________

(name and institution).

(c) Our third adjudicator for today is ______________________________ and he/she is from
______________________________ (name and institution)

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(d) Our fourth adjudicator is ______________________________ (name and institution).

(e) Last but not least, we have on our panel of adjudicators ______________________________ (name
and institution).

6. The timekeeper/timekeepers for this debate is/are ______________________________ from

______________________________ (name(s) and institution).

(a) The timekeeper(s) will ensure that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd speakers of each team are given 8 minutes to
speak.

(b) The timekeeper(s) will ring the bell once (ring) after the 1st minute and at the end of the 7 th minute
to signal the time allocated for each speaker. At the end of the 8 th minute, the bell will be rung twice
(ring).

(c) A maximum time of 3 minutes will be given to both teams to prepare for the Reply Speech.

(d) The time allocated for the Reply Speech is 4 minutes.

(e) During the Reply Speech, the timekeeper(s) will ring the bell once at the 3 rd minute to signal that the
speaker has one minute left. At the end of the 4 th minute, the bell will be rung twice to signal the end
of the time allocated for the Reply Speech.

7. The two schools in todays debate are

SMK ______________________________ which is the government team and
SMK ______________________________ which is the opposition team.

8. Let me now introduce the debaters to you. On my right, from the Government representing
______________________________ (school/area/district/state) are
(a) the Prime Minister, ______________________________
(b) the Deputy Minister, ______________________________ and
(c) the Third Minister, ______________________________

The reserves are

(a) ______________________________ and
(b) ______________________________

9. On my left from the Opposition representing ______________________________

(school/area/district/state) are
(a) the Opposition Leader, ______________________________
(b) the 2nd Opposition speaker, ______________________________ and
(c) the 3rd Opposition speaker, ______________________________

The reserves are

(a) ______________________________ and
(b) ______________________________

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10. Before we proceed, I would like to remind the speakers of both teams of some rules and guidelines
to observe in the course of the debate.

(a) The 3rd speaker from both teams shall not introduce any new arguments. Their role is mainly to
rebut.

(b) While the speaker is speaking, the opposing team can offer Points of Information (POI). The speaker
may accept or decline them.

(c) A POI may be offered by a member of the opposing team from the 2 nd minute to the 7th minute of
the time allocated to the speaker. Points of Information are not allowed during the 1 st and final
minutes of the speech. A bell will be rung to signal the beginning and the end of the time allocated
for Points of Informaton.

(d) A time limit of 15 seconds is allowed for each POI.

(e) Giving and taking of Points of Information should be done politely. A speaker is required to raise
his/her hand and to stand when putting forth a POI. Rude, abusive or aggressive behavior in both
instances will lead to a reduction of marks from the Style section.

(f) A speaker must give or take at least 2 Points of Information during the course of the debate.

(g) After all the speakers have spoken once, the 1 st or 2nd speaker for each side gives a Reply Speech with
the Opposition reply being delivered first and the Government second.

(h) No Points of Information may be offered during the Reply Speech.

(i) Finally, no heckling or harassment or barracking is allowed at any time during the debate.

11. I would like to remind everyone in this August House of Parliament to turn off your mobile phones or
set them on silent mode so as not interrupt the course of todays debate.

12. Without further ado, I call upon the Prime Minister from the Government,
______________________________ to deliver his/her speech on todays motion This House
believes that __________________________________________

13. Thank you, ______________________________

14. I shall now invite ______________________________ as the Opposition Leader to deliver his/her
speech.

15. Thank you, ______________________________

16. I now call upon the Deputy Prime Minister, ______________________________ to deliver his/her
speech.

17. Thank you, ______________________________

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18. Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time to listen to the second Opposition speaker,
______________________________

19. Thank you, ______________________________

20. I shall now call upon the third Minister from the Government, ______________________________
to rebut.

21. Thank you, ______________________________

22. It is now time to listen to the rebuttals of the third Opposition speaker,
______________________________

23. Thank you, ______________________________

24. Now that we have heard all the three speakers from both teams, we shall take a short break of 3
minutes. During this time, both the Government and the Opposition teams will prepare the Reply
Speech. The audience is requested to keep quiet during this time.

BREAK 3 MINUTES

25. The time of 3 minutes has ended. I shall now invite the Opposition Leader/the 2 nd speaker from the
Opposition*, ______________________________ to make his/her Reply Speech.

26. Thank you, ______________________________

27. I shall now call upon the Prime Minister/Deputy Prime Minister* from the Government team,
______________________________ to give his/her Reply Speech.

28. Thank you, ______________________________

29. We have now come to the end of the debate. The adjudicators will now hand over the results of the
debate to the Chief Adjudicator after which they shall meet to deliberate on the best speaker.

30. CHIEF ADJUDICATOR COLLECTS RESULT SLIPS FROM OTHER ADJUDICATORS, COMPILES OUTCOME
AND HANDS OVER THE RESULT SLIP FOR THE DEBATE TO THE SPEAKER. THEN ADJUDICATORS LEAVE
ROOM TO CONFER ON THE BEST SPEAKER.

31. CHIEF ADJUDICATOR WILL HAND OVER THE RESULT OF THE BEST SPEAKER TO THE PARLIAMENTARY
SPEAKER.

32. Now is the moment we have been waiting for. The best speaker of todays debate is
______________________________ from ______________________________

33. Now for the result of the winning team. Members of Parliament, on the motion This House believes
that __________________________________________, I would like to announce that the motion
of today is ACCEPTED/REJECTED* which means that the winning team is
______________________________

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34. With that, the House of Parliament is adjourned.

*N.B. For the Parliamentary Speaker If there is a Master of Ceremonies, please liaise with the latter re the
programme arrangement for the day.

* Please await signal from the Parliamentary Speaker before proceeding with course of the debate.

Lim Ai Ling
Guru Cemerlang Bahasa Inggeris
SMK(P) Methodist, Melaka
Updated 20.11.11

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