Last weekend, BSKL had the honour of being represented at Malaysia’s first-ever International and Private Schools Debating Championships (MIPSDC), hosted at the prestigious International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Year 11 students, Wern Xin and Natasha, proudly took part in the tournament, competing among talented debaters from international and private schools across the country.
Written by: Wern Xin, Year 11
The tournament brought together talented debaters from across the country, including teams from ISKL and Nobel International School.
The competition was intense, featuring five challenging preliminary rounds followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals, and grand finals. Although the schedule was long and mentally demanding, Natasha and I were excited to challenge ourselves at every stage. We debated a wide range of thought-provoking topics, from politics and environmentalism to feminism and pop culture, each round broadening our perspectives and deepening our passion for debate.
This tournament will remain one of my most memorable experiences yet, not only because it was my first time emerging as a champion, but because the event coincided with Natasha’s birthday! To celebrate qualifying for the out-rounds, our coach, Mr Anas, surprised us with slices of cake. Before delivering my finals speech, I even joked that reaching the finals was my birthday gift to Natasha.
The Finals motion proved to be a challenge: a philosophical debate centred on a film that neither of us had seen. Despite this disadvantage, we stayed focused, supported one another, and ultimately secured the title of Overall Champions. Receiving the RM1000 cash prize, trophy, and medals during the awards ceremony was an unforgettable and surreal moment.
To make the victory even sweeter, I was honoured with the Best Finalist Speaker Award, along with an additional RM100 cash prize. Hearing my name called was a shock, but also a reminder of how far we’ve come. Just a year ago, advancing beyond preliminaries seemed out of reach. This time, we placed among the Top 5 Speakers out of over 80 participants: I ranked 3rd, and Natasha placed 5th. Seeing our hard work and late nights of preparation pay off was incredibly rewarding.
This tournament truly tested our ambition, teamwork, and resilience. We are deeply grateful to our dedicated coaches, Mr Latif and Mr Anas, whose guidance and belief in us made this achievement possible.
We are proud to have represented BSKL — and we can’t wait for our next challenge.
