IIUM leading the way

Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
My View - The Sun Daily
September 12, 2018

SINCE May 10, "new Malaysia" is gradually gaining acceptance, but there is more to be done. The column (My View Sept 5) last week highlighted some the issues at hand where "old" mind sets tend to stifle the growth of new Malaysia. After all, old habits die hard when cultural changes are held at bay. Culture is largely a product of stubborn habits.

In "old" Malaysia the "yes, minister" culture was the norm. Now "saya menurut perintah" is being replaced by "saya pemegang amanah". To quote the new chief secretary, the days of blindly following instructions are over. Meaning to say there is ample room for disagreement and dissent through dialogues, discourses and debates with utmost decorum – the 6Ds. Admittedly, this is easier said than done if the "right" culture is not in place as we have often witnessed, even in the parliament.

This is where the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) is taking a lead role in acculturating new ways of encompassing the 6Ds: disagreement, dissent, dialogues, discourses, debates and decorum. This is not entirely new for many but not when it involves "decorum".

The so-called (anti-)social media is a classic example where "decorum" is often left wanting, instead creating more of "discomfort" if not "discord." Hence the bold IIUM initiative is indeed timely.

IIUM, as a Garden of Knowledge and Virtue, is no stranger in this regard. In a short span of 35 years, the university is well recognised as 12th best in the World Universities Debate Ranking, based on institutional cumulative achievements in international debating for five-year period.

As such IIUM takes the next step going beyond competitive debating, and demonstrating leadership in Malaysia debate and intellectual activities by making public discourse a norm and culture as hallmarks for balanced future leaders.

In tandem with this, the IIUM World Debate and Oratory Centre (IWON) by collaborating with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and hosted by the Garden Campus is set to pioneer a Public Debate Series (PDS), called "Action – Youth Engaged", directed particularly at youths.

According to IWON director Siti Aliza Alias, the year-long series will be open to the public and will feature prominent figures such as policy makers and leaders across the academic, social and corporate sectors, notably those who are known to have strongly held views.

The aim is to engage youth in discussions on the national and global agenda and raise awareness particularly among them on pertinent issues that could lead to policy decisions and actions in shaping new Malaysia.

The philosophy is "to create a culture of discourse and reasoning among the youth, and provide a platform for the exchange of ideas, and championing freedom of expression, while holding to the values of Islam".

This aligns well with what is often advocated by the youth and sports minister and education minister. The former, being an IIUM debate alumnus, envisions Malaysia as a "debating nation" where youths actively engage in discussions that will shape the country's future as well as its present. The education minister, a former IIUM academic on the other hand, envisions a more intellectually open environment in universities as higher learning institutions.

It is only fitting then that IIUM takes the lead in realising all these aspirations through the PDS platform, which is the first of its kind in Malaysia.

While it draws inspiration from the culture of open and public debate in Oxford and Cambridge Union, IIUM brings its own unique flavour. With strong Islamic values, such as respect and ethical conduct in disagreements, the IIUM programme underscores debate as an activity that is not stigmatised by aggressive (verbal) behaviours including personal and vulgar attacks that usually colour political debates (read shouting matches) in this country. It is more about "agreeing to disagree".

Youths, as future leaders, must therefore nurture these traits as second nature to play an effective role as public intellectuals when engaging larger audiences in search of solutions beyond the norms of competitive debates. For this, IIUM seeks the active involvement of youth by having a nationwide online recruitment of speakers between 16 and 25 years old, one each to partner-up with two lead speakers. The demographics in Malaysia has shifted and youths are increasingly the new decision-makers, as can be seen from the recent 14th general election.

In order to commemorate the inaugural event, IIUM is welcoming the public into its Garden Campus in Gombak to participate and witness the first public debate between two prominent figures on a current topic of national importance. This time the debate topic "Repealing the Anti-Fake News Act is a Mistake", will showcase nationally two prominent lead speakers: "bro" Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, minister of Youth and Sports (IIUM debate alumnus, 2006) and "bro" Syed Ahmad Taufik Albar, group chief financial officer, RHB Banking Group (IIUM debate alumnus, 1996).

In the spirit of Hari Malaysia, the event taking place on Sept 18, 8pm at the IIUM Cultural Centre (ICC) will also be streamed live on social media platforms and through media coverage.

It is envisaged that this first ever nationwide collaborative debating effort will forge ahead a new culture towards nation-building in acculturating New Malaysia.