Rafizi vs Khairy debate: The bigger picture

There were no insults or personal attacks, just contribution as well as light-hearted banter, as well as it's incredulous which comparison politicians have been antithetic to such full of health exchanges upon Malaysian soil.

COMMENT

The most enduring words uttered by Rafizi Rahim, the Pakatan vital director in his debate with Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar in London final Sunday, were his closing remarks to the assembled students.

"All of you, when you go behind to Malaysia, it does not unequivocally have the disproportion which side you take. Whether BN, or Pakatan. Please participate

"The worse tragedy is carrying so most bright people, guidance from the best of the best universities, usually to go behind as well as repel in to your own little world, not unequivocally meaningful what happens outside.

"Go behind as well as have the difference, no have the disproportion what you choose to do. Make certain you have the disproportion to society."

His words were echoed by the similarly magnanimous Khairy, who told the students to have sensitive decisions creation use of all sources of media, both pick as well as mainstream.

Khairy sensitive the assembly which "Malaysia had moved on" as well as which open debates should be the future of the nation.

The two contenders presented their arguments during the first eventuality of 2012 organized by the United Kingdom as well as Eire Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC). Their subject was "Public Policy: Vision 2020: Is Malaysia Moving Towards the Right Direction?"

In this lighthearted, medium-paced banter in in in between the two immature leaders, both of w! hom stud ied during British universities, there was wit as well as humour, plus duplicate of contribution tempered with personal experience.

'Poke-eye' clothes
There were agreements as well as disagreements upon issues, which rang! ed from the economy, the taxation system, subsidies, free media entrance to the secular perspective, the training fraternity, Sabah as well as Sarawak, the Public Assembly Bill (PAB), as well as secular unity.

The enthusiasm showed by about 350 Malaysian students from all over the UK as well as the Irish Republic was no less appreciative to watch.

The more conservative of them, judging by their mode of dress, mingled openly with the long-legged girls in tall heels, prohibited pants as well as ultra mini-skirts. To quote the Ministry of Defence's English website which has given been removed, there were utterly the few Malay girls even wearing "poke-eye" clothes.

One wonders what would have happened if this eventuality had been in Malaysia, where women in short-sleeved blouses have been refused entrance to supervision departments. Nevertheless, it was full of health to note the youth fully sportive their rights to leisure of countenance as well as choice.

Elsewhere in the conference hall, the aged openly chatted with the young, as well as the true had no qualms about exchanging records with those who were positively from the LGBT crowd.

The two stars of the day, Khairy as well as Rafizi, looked as yet they enjoyed themselves debating with the single another.

With the interest generated as well as the civility showed, it is incredible which the comparison politicians have been antithetic to identical useful exchanges upon Malaysian soil. As the Sunday eventuality showed, there was no trade of insults as well as no personal attacks. Just facts, total as well as the occasional playful tease.

This sell was in stark contrariety to the Jul 2008 debate in in in between A! nwar Ibr ahim, when he was the special adviser to PKR as well as Ahmad Shabery Cheek, the former BN Information Minister, which was broadcast upon TV3 as well as ASTRO.

In this event, Shabery openly dished out personal insults while Anwar resisted creation innuendos as well as kept particularly to the topic.

UCCA should be abolished
Nevertheless, in final Sunday's event, the day's lectures ranged from career development as well as opportunities in the corporate world (Raf! idah Azi z) to human rights in Malaysia (Marina Mahathir, Pang Khee Teik, Yunus Raiss), Islam in Malaysia (Zainah Anwar, Karim Raslan, Dr Carool Kersten, Dr Dzulkefli Ahmad) as well as Vision 2020 (Khairy as well as Rafizi).

If there was any criticism, it was the manner in which Rafidah as well as Khairy were whisked away, presumably by their minders, in to the VIP room, out of strech of the students as well as press.

If this was intentional, then it does not encourage communication in in in between the row of speakers as well as the students whom they were anticipating to influence. Why bother with an eventuality when students have been not allowed to rivet with the speakers?

One alternative regard was which students in the UKEC legislature organise an form of interesting events throughout the year. One might ask if their Malaysian peers suffer identical leisure of countenance as well as thought?

What little you listen to of them is through news reports of students protesting the suspension of students since they refuse to toe the official line.

If the home students have been denied entrance to exciting events, then have been you not placing them during the disadvantage to students who study overseas?

Are you effectively tact an chosen group of students, since those who study abroad have been exposed to exciting events, debates, opposite cultures, methods of teaching, facilities, environments, challenges as well as exper! ience?

The opportunities for debates as well as free suspicion should be lengthened to ALL the students.

The fact which abroad students have been not fearful to wear "poke-eye" clothes, as well as people mix freely, have been manifestations of this leisure of expression. It stimulates creativity as well as cohesion.

Are you not being astray by restricting the minds of as well as curtailing the liberties of the Malaysian students behind home, with the Universities as well as University Colleges Act (UCCA)?

The UCCA should be abolished. Not amended.

For Malaysian students in UK, debates have been not exceptional by any means, though for the likes of Adam Adli as well as his peers, travel protests probably remain the usually form of countenance left since debates as well as political meetings have been discouraged.

Mariam Mokhtar is the FMT columnist.

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