Debates Are Leadership Madrasahs For University Students Says Higher Education Minister

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Higher Education Minister Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir said debates are more than competitions — they are ‘leadership madrasahs’ that teach university students critical thinking, integrity, and the skills to become responsible future leaders. — Bernama picSINTOK, Oct 28 — Debates are not mere competitions, but are leadership ‘madrasahs’ and arenas that shape character, especially among university students, Higher Education Minister Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir said.
Debates also serve as platforms to train ourselves to be knowledgeable and brave leaders with integrity, he added.
“The advantages of debates to university students is that it trains them to think critically, to voice their views and be responsible for their arguments.
“It is on the debate floor that mature future leaders are born, it teaches students how to voice their opinions in a decent and civilised manner,” he said at the close of the 2025 Prime Minister’s Integrity Cup Debate final at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) here last night.
Debates also can train students to adhere to facts and arguments, and avoid manipulation and slander, he added.
Sixty teams from private and public universities, vocational colleges and polytechnics, along with two teams from Bandung, Indonesia, took part in the Prime Minister’s Integrity Cup Debate, organised by the Integrity Institute of Malaysia with cooperation with UUM, the Malaysian Universities Debate Council and Policy and Economic Affairs Centre Malaysia (PEACE).
Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) Team A were champions, International Islamic University Malaysia was second, UPNM B third and Universiti Sains Malaysia fourth. — Bernama

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