1. GENERAL
1.1. The championship is named “MUSLEH INTER-SCHOOL PARLIAMENTARY-STYLE DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIP 2009”
1.2. These Rules apply for the “Kejohanan Debat Piala MUSLEH”.
1.3. The interpretation for the Rules is at the sole rights of the Secretariat of the “Kejohanan Debat Piala MUSLEH” as the championship’s organiser.
1.4. The Secretariat has the right to amend any rule before the championship begins wherever it deems appropriate by the Committee of the “Kejohanan Debat Piala MUSLEH”.
2. INTERPRETATION
2.1. "Championship Director" and "Judge Panel" means the individuals appointed by the organiser to hold such posts.
2.2. "School" means all schools participating in the championship.
3. PARTICIPATION
3.1. Each school may send a maximum of two (2) teams for each category for the championship accompanied by an Attending Teacher for each team.
3.2. Each team is allowed to enter one (1) category only.
4. QUALIFICATION
4.1. For qualifying to enter into the championship, the debaters must be students currently studying at the school they represented. Certification proving they are students from the school is to be made by the Principal of the corresponding schools.
4.2. A participant can debate only for the team registering him / her.
5. CHAMPIONSHIP RULES
5.1. The championship is utilising a “power match” system in the first round. The System is used to determine which of the teams are competing and their role either as the government or the opposition.
5.2. The preliminary rounds consist of 4 matches. The matching teams for the first debate will be determined randomly. After the first debate, the position of each team will be established by taking into account these criteria:
5.2.1. Win / Lose
5.2.2. Jury
5.2.3. Margin
5.2.4. Points
5.3. For the second round, the winning teams of the first round will be clustered into a group while the losing teams will be clustered into another. The following matches will be determined based upon the position in these groups.
5.4. After each debate, the position of each team will be established again using the above method.
5.5. Through “power match” method, there are possibilities that a team may match another more than once.
5.6. The role of the team either as government or opposition for the first debate will be determined randomly.
5.7. The role of the team either as government or opposition for the following matches will be determined based upon the roles each team had in the previous debate match. Usually, the role of a team is determined based upon the number of times the team had been government.
5.8. The role of the team either as government or opposition for the quarter-final, semi-final and final matches is decided through voting or coin tossing in front of each team leaders.
5.9. After completing all matches in the first round, teams qualified to the quarter-final will be determined based upon the position in the “power match”. The position of each team will be established by taking into account these criteria:
5.9.1. Win / Lose
5.9.2. Jury
5.9.3. Margin
5.9.4. Point
5.10. Four teams of the highest position will qualify to the semi-final.
5.11. Semi-final round will be conducted by way of knockout matches.
5.12. The matching teams for the knockout round is as follows:
6. PREPARATION TIME
6.1. The role of the team either as government or opposition will be determined 30 minutes before the debate. This will include any journey time. Teams must abide by the time allocated.
6.2. Any team which failed to be present at the specified venue 15 minutes after the starting time of the debate will be considered the loser.
6.3. Only the four registered debaters are allowed to discuss during preparation time. No outside assistance is allowed.
7. DEBATING STRUCTURE
7.1. The debate is to be held in Bahasa Melayu, English and Arabic according to Malaysian Parliamentary-Style.
7.2. Each round of debate consists of two (2) teams, one as the government (proposer) and the other as the opposition. Each team consists of three (3) debaters and a reserve.
7.3. The government team consists of a Prime Minister and two (2) government members, while the opposition team consists of an Opposition Leader and two (2) opposition members.
7.4. Each debater must present a substantive speech. Summation speeches by the government and the opposition can be delivered by either the first or the second debater from each side.
7.5. The time limit and speaking arrangement for each debater is as follows:
7.5.1. Substantive Speeches
7.5.1.1. Prime Minister / first proposition 7 minutes
7.5.1.2. Opposition Leader / first opposition 7 minutes
7.5.1.3. First Government Member / second proposition 7 minutes
7.5.1.4. First Opposition Member / second opposition 7 minutes
7.5.1.5. Second Government Member / third proposition 7 minutes
7.5.1.6. Second Opposition Member / third opposition 7 minutes
7.5.2. Summation Speeches
7.5.2.1. Opposition Summary / Summation 4 minutes
7.5.2.2. Government Summary / Summation 4 minutes
7.6. For each substantive speech, bell will be ringed once after one minute has passed to indicate that the opposing team may interject or request explanation, and will be ringed once again at the last one minute to indicate that the time for interjection is up. The bell will be ringed twice when the time for the speaker’s speech is over.
7.7. For summation speech, the bell will be ringed once at the beginning of the third minutes and twice at the time ends.
7.8. A debater who speaks 30 seconds more than the allocated time will be warned by the Speaker. The debater will be requested to conclude the speech and may be penalised.
8. ROLE OF EACH TEAM
8.1. The role of the government is to affirm the proposal. They have to define the proposal, provide arguments and cases supporting the motion, and retaliate towards any challenges put forth by the opposition against the arguments of the proposal.
8.2. The role of the opposition is to contest against the proposal. They have to answer the government definition and if needed, develop opposition arguments and cases against the motion retaliating the points put forth by the government.
9. JUDGMENT
9.1. Each debate will be judged by a panel of judges. The number of judges must be odd.
9.2. At the first round, one of the judges will act as the Speaker and be called Mr. Speaker. At the final round, the Speaker may not be appointed from among the judges’ panel.
9.3. The Speaker is responsible to invite the debater to speak, to keep the occasion in order, and subject to these rules, to make any decision about any aspect of the disputed debating procedures.
9.4. The judges must:
9.4.1. Reach the decision of win or lose. Draw decision is not allowed.
9.4.2. Not interrupt or gives comment while the debate is in session.
9.4.3. Not discuss among jury panel. He must make his own decision.
9.4.4. If unanimous decision is not reached, the majority decision will prevail. Amendment against any decision is not allowed after submission of votes.
10. POINTS
10.1. Each substantive speech will be given a maximum of 100 points based upon :
10.1.1. Contents 40 points
10.1.2. Style / delivery 40 points
10.1.3. Procedure / Method 20 points
10.2. The contents will be judged according to the suitability, the expansion and clarification of the arguments, facts and examples used and the effectiveness of the counter-arguments against the arguments of the opposition.
10.3. The procedure will be judged by:
10.3.1. The effectiveness of the debater’s speech, organisation and structure.
10.3.2. The effectiveness of the team’s overall case, organisation and structure.
10.3.3. Continuity of arguments / facts.
10.3.4. Teamwork.
10.4. Delivery style will be judged according to the suitability and the effectiveness of argument delivery. Delivery with high flattery value and capable of drawing the audience will be looked upon as positive to the judges (on condition that it supports the argument).
10.5. Summation speech will be given a maximum of 50 points based upon the ratio of the substantive speech above.
10.6. The main criteria for points is the flattery value of the speech that is how much of the speech really convinces and gives support to the team proposal and the debate context.
10.7. The use of outside assistance (books, charts, magazines, and others) while the debate is in session is totally prohibited.
10.8. All participants must act respectful and orderly during championship.
11. NEW FACT
11.1. No "new fact" is allowed to be introduced in the substantive speech of the third debater and in the summation speech on any team (either government or opposition). A new example is not a new fact. An argument or a fact is considered “new” unless:
11.1.1. It has been used in any previous arguments.
11.1.2. It was used as a counter-argument against the argument of the opposing team.
12. DEFINITION
12.1. The duty of providing the appropriate and debatable definition to the debate proposal is the right and responsibility of the government.
12.2. The opposition may:
12.2.1. accept the government definition in toto / absolutely; or
12.2.2. Reject the government definition in toto / absolutely and suggest an alternative definition.
12.2.3. The opposition may reject the government definition in toto only if;
12.2.3.1. The government definition does not correspond strongly to the real intention of the proposal.
12.2.3.2. The government definition is "truistic", in which the definition will never be challenged with a rational argument.
12.2.3.3. The government definition is based upon a definition which is too specific or related to a time or a place not logical to the mind.
13. CLARIFICATION
13.1. Clarification / interjection in this context means the clarification requested by the opposing side for correcting the debater currently speaking or raising an important fact. Clarification / interjection must be brief and related to what is discussed by the debater. Points is given to effective interjection and answer to interjection.
13.2. Debater currently speaking has the absolute rights either to accept or reject the interjection or clarification to be given. However, continuous rejection of the clarification or extreme acceptance of it which may affect the quality of the debater’s speech, may be looked upon strongly by the judges. It is recommended each debater accept at least two (2) clarifications. Nevertheless, the championship never limits any maximum or minimum clarification / interjection each debater may accept.
13.3. Clarification given may last no longer than 15 seconds. Bell will be ringed once after the 15 seconds time limit. If the clarification / interjection are not completed, debater giving the clarification / interjection must sit down immediately.
13.4. Clarification may not be requested before the end of the first minute and during the last minute of any substantive speech. The bell will be ringed once to indicate the beginning and once again to indicate the ending of the time allowed for the clarification request. Clarification may not be requested during summation speeches.
13.5. Only members of the opposing team may request a clarification. Debater must indicate a signal if he wants to interject such as by standing up, by raising his hand, by orally requesting and other suitable methods.
13.6. Debater currently speaking may accept or reject a clarification request by giving a physical signal or informing orally. If rejected, debater requesting clarification must sit down and wait for another opportunity.
13.7. When clarification is received, the current debater cannot answer until the debater requesting the clarification finished interjecting or the 15 seconds time allocated is up (whichever is first). The debater is not supposed to interrupt the clarification requested by his opponent when the clarification is received.
14. OBJECTION DURING DEBATE
14.1. Objection in this context is with regards to the objection forwarded by the debater to the Speaker during ongoing debate to attract his attention towards contravening against any rules of the debate such as:
14.1.1. The usage of inappropriate acts or language during debate; or
14.1.2. Introduction of new fact during substantive speech by the third debater or
14.1.3. Introduction of new fact during summation speech; or
14.1.4. Any debaters exceeding 30 seconds of the time limit allocated.
14.2. It is the responsibility of each team to voice their objection towards any contravening of any rules. The decision of the Speaker either to accept or to reject the objection forwarded is final.
14.3. If the objection is accepted, the Speaker may direct the debater involved to obey by the rules raised. The time used to make the objection is deducted from the allocated time for the debater. However, if the objection rejected, the debater will be given extra time to compensate the time used during the objection.
15. APPEAL
15.1. The decision of the judges is final.
15.2. If there is a technical objection, please put forth the complain to the designated Championship Officials or the organiser as soon as the debate ends.
15.3. If the organiser detects any mistake or defect during the operation of the debate (related to technical aspects only), efforts will be made to ensure the interest of any party is not jeopardised. If necessary, the judges and participants will be noted about any arising issues to prevent it from repeating.
16. DEBATE PROPOSAL
16.1. The proposals for debates in Bahasa Melayu and English will be given on registration day. Meanwhile, proposals in Arabic will be given together with the championship terms and conditions.
