ABP 2012: Malaysia Sweeps Half of Break List

Debaters from Malaysia took half of the spots in the elimination round of the 2012 Asian British Parliamentary Debating Championship and two Malaysian teams were unlucky not to be part of that lot. Universiti Teknologi Mara 3 and International Islamic University 5, two teams with scores matching the 24th on the tab from preliminaries, missed the break on head-to-head count with the last advancing pair, their fellow countrymen from Universiti Malaya 1. Only the best 24 teams after 6 preliminary rounds can continue their journey with rank #9 to #24 required to battle it out in pre-quarterfinal matches before winners of that stage face the top 8. The main break list has no Indonesian team as the highest ranked from the host country matched the points of the last three breaking pairs but had lower individual scores.

Main Break List
1. National University of Singapore 1 (SG)
2. Korea University 1 (SK)
3. Nanyang Technological University 1 (SG)
4. Multimedia University Melaka 1 (MY)
5. Universiti Teknologi Mara 1 (MY)
6. National University of Singapore 2 (SG)
7. National Law School of India University 1 (IN)
8. International Islamic University 1 (MY)
9. Rashtriya Vidyalaya College of Engineering 1 (IN)
10. International Islamic University 3 (MY)
11. Peking University 1 (CN)
12. Universiti Teknologi Mara 2 (MY)
13. Asia Pacific University 1 (MY)
14. University of Tokyo 1 (JP)
15. International Islamic University 2 (MY)
16. Chung Ang University 1 (SK)
17. International Islamic University 4 (MY)
18. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 1 (MY)
19. School of Law, Christ University 1 (IN)
20. North South University 1 (BD)
21. Multimedia University Melaka 2 (MY)
22. Wawasan University 1 (MY)
23. Nanyang Technological University 2 (SG)
24. Universiti Malaya 1 (MY)

ABP 2011: NUS Loses Title, Bows to RVCE

North South University Dhaka - Host of ABP 2011

Underdogs Rashtriya Vidyalaya College of Engineering from Bangalore, India denied defending champions National University of Singapore of another Asian British Parliamentary Debating Championship title. In the grand final of the 2011 ABP, #14 RVCE 1 (Karthik Sivaram & Prasun Bhaiya) from the position of Opening Opposition knocked down the motion "This House Believes That Micro-Credit Programs Should Stop Exclusively Targeting Women".

#1 NUS 1 (Imran Rahim & Robin Teo), playing the role as Closing Opposition, failed to outshine their benchmates. The other finalists came from Nanyang Technological University and Universiti Teknologi Mara. NUS 1 were hot favourites throughout ABP 2011. The team broke first into knockouts with Imran topping the speaker tab and Robin coming second. No RVCE debater was on the top 10 speaker list. This is the first major Asian-level victory for RVCE.

ABP 2011: NUS to Defend Crown, Bryan on Final Panel

Reigning champion National University of Singapore will defend its Asian British Parliamentary Debating Championship title tomorrow against teams from cross-city rival Nanyang Technological University, Malaysia's Universiti Teknologi Mara and Rashtriya Vidyalaya College of Engineering from India. NUS 1 broke first in the 2011 Asian BP at Dhaka's North South University. Bryan Gunawan from Binus University will be on the grand final adjudication panel.

The motions in the knockouts until the semifinals are as follows:
PQF THW criminalise the refusal to render reasonable assistance to people in distress
QF THBT states should punish more harshly acts of terror committed by own citizens than those committed by citizens of other states
SF THW use the state education system to actively promote atheism

ABP 2011: Singapore, Malaysia Teams Flood Knockouts

After 6 preliminary rounds, 24 teams earned the right to proceed into the knockouts of the 2011 Asian British Parliamentary Debating Championship at Dhaka's North South University. The top 8 can go straight to the quarterfinals while the remaining 16 must undergo pre-quarters. No Indonesian team managed to advance while Singaporean and Malaysian teams took the top 8 spots.

Here is the complete break list.

1. National University of Singapore 1
2. Singapore Management University 2
3. Nanyang Technological University 1
4. Universiti Teknologi Mara 2
5. Nanyang Technological University 2
6. Universiti Teknologi Mara 3
7. Nanyang Technological University 3
8. National University of Singapore 3
9. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay 3
10. Universiti Teknologi Mara 1
11. National University of Singapore 2
12. International Islamic University 2
13. International Islamic University 1
14. Rashtriya Vidyalaya College of Engineering 1
15. MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology 2
16. Singapore Management University 3
17. Chinese University of Hong Kong 1
18. Chulalongkorn University 1
19. Rashtriya Vidyalaya College of Engineering 2
20. KDU University College 2
21. International Islamic University 4
22. International Islamic University 3
23. KDU University College 3
24. Delhi University 1

ABP2011: Tab Problems Push R3 to Day 2

Tabulation issues marred the first day of debating at the 2011 Asian British Parliamentary Debate Championship, forcing organisers at Dhaka's North South University to drop a scheduled round. The third preliminary will now take place tomorrow before 3 other rounds so that the break announcement can still proceed on time. This year's ABP has 76 teams, including those from Binus International and Institut Pertanian Bogor.

The motions on Day 1 are as follows:
R1 THW ban violent sports
R2 TH regrets Myanmar's appointment to future ASEAN chair

Bryan Gunawan Tapped to Become DCA in Asian BP

Bryan Gunawan from Jakarta-based Binus University will serve as a deputy chief adjudicator in the 2011 Asian British Parliamentary Debating Championships that will take place at Dhaka's North-South University from December 7 to 11. He is among the two latest additions to the adjudication core that includes Sam Block and Lucinda David, the co-chief adjudicators of the upcoming World Universities Debating Championships. Bryan is no stranger in working with world-class judges. His experience in leading the adjudication in the 2011 Southeast Asian English Olympics that included Sam Block, a WUDC best speaker, will definitely be useful in Asian BP.

Asian BP Registration Opens July 5, Australs Begins July 8

Two important regional debating tournaments will kick off different phases next week.

The race to grab slots in the coming Asian British Parliamentary Debate Championships will begin July 5 at 1300 WIB or noon Dhaka time. The online registration closes July 20 but there are only 80 spots and each institution can send up to 3 pairs so the list may fill up fast. The 3rd Asian BP will take place at North South University in Dhaka, Bangladesh from December 7 to 11, 2011, making it a good warm-up for those who want to compete in the World Universities Debating Championships at the end of the year.

Half a continent away from Dhaka, the preliminary rounds of the Australasian Debating Championships will start in Seoul on July 8. Five Indonesian schools (Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Hasanuddin, Institut Teknologi Bandung and Binus International) are registered to take part in the world's largest 3-on-3 debating competition that will take place this year at Chung Ang University. Indonesian teams have excelled in the ESL category of this tournament in previous years. The break will be announced on July 10 while the finals will take place on July 13.