FT 2013: UI-ITB Graduates Claw Trophy, Speaker Awards

Founders Trophy 2013 champions -
Melanie Tedja & Luthfi Abdurrahman

A team comprising former Universitas Indonesia debater Melanie Tedja and Institut Teknologi Bandung graduate Luthfi "Uphie" Abdurrahman won the 2013 EDSUI Founders Trophy, billed as the "Clash of the Predators". They earned the right to hold the Papuan wooden sculpture until the next edition.

Indeed, both of them have been predatory for years. For Melanie, it was her second FT victory. She also bagged the best speaker award, her fifth after receiving it in 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2011. For Uphie, it was his first time becoming FT champion after he came close a few times, including reaching the final last year. He was the best speaker of FT 2012 and 2008. This year he was the best speaker in the final and came second overall.

In the final, they defended the motion "This House Believes That the Fate of Jerusalem Should Only Be Decided by its Native Inhabitants and Their Residing Offspring" from Closing Government. The pair defeated Roderick Sibarani (UI)/Egalita Irfan (UI), Boby Ruitang (UI)/Satrio Adi Pratama (Ex-Undip) and Eldhianto Jusuf (Ex-UGM)/Bernardo Tampubolon (Ex-UGM). FT, the first nationwide open BP competition in Indonesia, is considered as the toughest because it attracts debaters from all generations.

The best novice team award went to a high school team consisting of Bradley Gunawan (Sang Timur) and John Amadeo (Raffles) who competed under a debate scholarship from EDSUI. They advanced as far as the quarterfinals. Both collected the same speaker points, making them co-best novice speakers in the tournament. Besides the trophies, FT overall and novice winners, as well as, round best speakers traditionally receive books donated by Universitas Indonesia alumni.