PETALING JAYA: In a head-to-head combat of rhetoric and quick wit, Malaysian debaters did the nation proud by besting the world's top speakers in three debate tournaments hosted by the Durham, Oxford and Cambridge universities.

In November, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) sent two teams to the United Kingdom to compete in all three intervarsity (IV) tournaments, which were held back-to-back.

Drawing in a steady stream of participants from renowned institutions, the annual oratory tournaments are among the toughest and most prestigious in the world. 

The competition format splits participants into two language categories, ESL (English as Second Language) and the Open category, for native English speakers. Although both IIUM teams were originally registered as ESL, IIUM (A) managed to outrank many Open teams and in the end, found themselves being bumped up to compete in the more challenging category.

All debates were held in the British Parliamentary format, pitching four teams against each other in every round.

IIUM (A), represented by third-year law student Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, 20, and second-year economics student Mubarrat Wassey, 22, steamrolled through the Open category and made it to the quarter-finals of both Oxford and Cambridge competitions, successfully shocking everyone who were not expecting such a show from the underdogs. 

In Durham, IIUM (A) created history by being the first Malaysian team to make it to the grand finals (Open category) of a UK intervarsity tournament. 

In the finals, Syed Saddiq and Mubarrat put up a good fight debating against speakers from the composite team of Cambridge University and the London School of Economics (LSE), Strathclyde University and Glasgow University. 

Members of IIUM (B), second-year law students Ameera Natasha Moore and Ahmad Hazim Norahmadi, both 20, brought home the championship trophy for Durham’s Novice category, beating two teams from Cambridge University and a team from Hull University at the grand finals.

Given only 15 minutes of preparation time once motions are announced, teams are expected to present their cases without any outside help or electronic assistance. 

The issues given to the debaters ranged from social, political, religious, economic and legal topics. 

Among the motions discussed were, “This house would break up banks, like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and HSBC, that are deemed ‘too big to fail’”, “This house will require major polluters to open their borders to environmental refugees” and “This house would give the public the power to pardon whistleblowers through a referendum.”

Syed Saddiq, who was ranked among the top 10 best speakers in both Durham and Cambridge IV’s, said that the biggest challenge he faced in entering the tournaments was an inferiority complex. 

“It was intimidating, primarily because we were in a different language level compared to many of the other teams. Also, some of the universities are known to have strong debating legacies in contrast to the more infant Malaysian circuit.

“However, when we started to do well, all the insecurities went out the window,” he said.

In their second round at Cambridge, IIUM (A) emerged first in a four-way debate against powerhouses Harvard University, Oxford University and Princeton University. 

Although relatively unknown when stepping into Durham, the first of the tournaments, news of IIUM’s impressive run then spread and quickly put the rest of the competition on their guards.

This was because IIUM’s performance came largely unexpected, explained Mubarrat.

“When we were in Cambridge, debaters from St Andrews came up to us and said that they heard rumours about a ‘terrifying’ ESL team!” 

“We were hoping to break into the Open category but didn’t think we would achieve as much as we have. It also came as a surprise to other teams, but they were very supportive of us all the same,” he added.

“It feels great!” shared Hazim on his first international win.

“Even in a competitive environment, everyone was still very friendly and offered congratulations,” he said.

In preparation for the tournaments, the IIUM teams had intensive trainings and were assigned reading lists which included daily browsing of news portals, papers and political magazines. 

In juggling commitments as a debater and student, having a good routine is important, said Ameera.

“I sit down with my teammates and we plan our schedule together. We become each other’s check and balance,” said Ameera who makes sure to have some free time left over for family and friends.

Next in line for IIUM teams is to do well in the World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) in India later this year. 

The WUDC is the No.1 tournament that determines global rankings of debating teams. 

Last year, IIUM (A) ranked 15th in the world among 400 teams and made it to the quarter-finals of the Open category. The year before, they were ESL finalists. 

“This time, we will try to rank within the top 10,” said Abdul Latif, head trainer of IIUM’s debate teams.