KEJOHANAN ANTARA TEKNIK (KAT)

PERINGKAT ZON KELANTAN / TERENGGANU

RULES AND GUIDELINES
PARLIAMENTARY STYLE ENGLISH DEBATE

1.0. NAME OF COMPETITION:

DEBATE KAT ZON KELANTAN / TERENGGANU

2.0. FORMAT

2.1. A team representing a school shall consist of 3 main debaters and 1

reserve.
2.2. The proposition team is known as the Affirmative (or the Government)
while the opposition team is known as the Negative (or the Opposition).
2.3. Allocation of time and speaking orders:

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE TIME

1.1st Speaker 2. 1st Speaker 8 minutes
3. 2nd Speaker 4. 2nd Speaker 8 minutes
5. 3rd Speaker 6. 3rd Speaker 8 minutes
8. Reply Speech 1st/2nd 7. Reply Speech 1st/2nd 4 minutes
Affirmative Negative

2.4. The third debater from both teams shall not introduce any new
arguments. Their role is mainly to rebut.
2.5. While the debater is speaking, the opposing team can offer „Point(s) of
Information „ (formal interjection). The speaker may accept or decline it.
2.6. After all the speakers have spoken once, the first or second speaker from
each side gives a reply speech, with the Negative‟s reply being delivered
first and the Affirmative second.

3.0. ELIGIBILTY

3.1. The competition is open to all students of Form 4-5 from all
Technical/Vocational schools in Malaysia.
3.2. A school is allowed to send only one team to participate in the
competition. The names of the debaters as stated in the registration form
should remain the same throughout the competition.
3.3. Each team should comprise of at least 2 Bumiputera students who are
speaking members of the team.
3.4. Every member of the participating team should come from the same
school.

Debate Rules and Guidelines

Kejohanan Antara Teknik (KAT) Kali Ke-13
Zon Kelantan / Terengganu
 3.5. The Champion school team shall represent the Zone for the National
Championship.

4.0. ADJUDICATION

4.1. An odd-numbered panel of least 3 adjudicators shall judge the debaters

from Round 1 to the semi finals and 5 adjudicators shall judge the Finals
of the debate.
4.2. Adjudicators should be briefed on the rules of judging 30 minutes before
the debate.
4.3. Each school is required to send 2 teachers, one of whom will have to be
an adjudicator.
4.4. Adjudicators shall not judge the team from their own school.
4.5. A debate is won by the team which scored a majority of votes from the
judges on the panel. Team marks or winning margins of judges are not to
be added together to decide the winner.
4.6. Immediately after debate, the speaker will collect the score sheet from the
adjudicator. There should be no discussions among the adjudicators
when deciding the winner of the debate.
4.7. Once the score sheets have been handed in, the adjudicators shall meet
and confer in order to decide the Best Speaker. They shall refer to the
adjudicator‟s comment sheets to decide the winner.

5.0. PROCEDURE OF A DEBATE

5.1. The debate process

5.1.1. The debate topics will be given to the competing teams 2 weeks
before the actual competition for the State level.
5.1.2. Each team will draw the stand ONE hour before debate.
5.1.3. The team will then be quarantined in their quarantine rooms for
ONE hour to prepare for the debate.
5.1.4. Only one team members competing (3 main speakers and 1
reserve) will be allowed in the quarantine rooms.
5.1.5. The team is allowed to use only printed reference materials in the
quarantine room. No electronic gadgets are allowed in.
5.1.6. Teams are required to be seated at the debate venue(s) 5 minutes
before the start of the debate.

5.2. The Role of the Speaker

5.2.1. A Chairperson who will be addressed as Mr. Speaker or Madam

Speaker will chair each debate.
5.2.2. The speaker is responsible for the smooth running of the debate.

Debate Rules and Guidelines

Kejohanan Antara Teknik (KAT) Kali Ke-13
Zon Kelantan / Terengganu
 5.2.3. The speaker will read out the rules of the debate and then proceed
to introduce the timekeeper, adjudicators and debaters.
5.2.4. The speaker must refrain from making any comments concerning
the debate or the debaters during the debate.
5.2.5. The speaker must ensure that the adjudicators are given enough
time to fill in their marks before the debater is called.

5.3. The Role of the Timekeeper

5.3.1. The timekeeper must ensure that each debater is given 8 minutes
to deliver his/her speech.
5.3.2. The timekeeper will ring the bell once after the first minute and at
the end of the seventh minute to signal the time allocated for the
Points of Information. At the end of the eighth minute, the bell
will be rung twice. (Placards may be used by the timekeeper to
indicate the remaining time left, at intervals of one minute).
5.3.3. A maximum of three minutes will be given to both teams to
prepare for the Reply Speech.
5.3.4. During the Reply Speech, the time keeper will ring the bell once at
the third minute to signal that the debater has one minute left. At
the end of the fourth minute, the bell will be rung twice to signal
the end of the debate.

6.0. POINT ON INFORMATION

6.1. A Point of Information is a formal interjection. It can be:

i. a question
ii. a remark
iii. a clarification
iv. a correction of word(s) or statement(s)
6.2. Any member or the opposing team may offer Points of Information from
the second minute to the seventh minute of the time allocated to the
debater. Points of Information are not allowed during the first and the
final minutes of the speech. A bell will be sounded to signal the beginning
and ending of the time allocated for each Points of Information.
6.3. A time limit of 15 seconds is allocated for each Point of Information.
Therefore the Point of Information put forth must be concise and to the
point.
6.4. No heckling or harassment or barracking is allowed at any time during
the debate.
6.5. Giving and taking Points of Information should be done politely. A
debater is required to raise his/her hand to stand when putting forth a
Point of Information. Rude, abusive or aggressive behavior in both
instances will lead to a reduction of marks from the STYLE section.

Debate Rules and Guidelines

Kejohanan Antara Teknik (KAT) Kali Ke-13
Zon Kelantan / Terengganu
 6.6. A debater may either accept the Point of Information or decline it. If
accepted, the opponent may make a short point or ask question that deals
with some issues of the debate (preferably one just made by the debater).
6.7. A debater MUST give or take at least 2 Points of Information during the
course of the debate.

6.7.1. A debater who does not offer the minimum number of Points of
Information will be marked down for Substance and Strategy.

 Substance for failing to allow to other side to make their point.

 Strategy for not understanding the role of the debater under
this style or cowardice in not accepting a challenge.
6.7.2. A debater who fails to accept any Points of Information should
lose marks for Substance and Strategy.

 Substance for failing to allow the other side to make point.

 Strategy for failing to understand the role of the debater under
this style or for cowardice in not accepting challenge.
6.8. No Points of Information may be offered during the Reply speeches.
6.9. The Etiquette of Points of Information
A Point of Information is offered by

6.9.1. Standing and Saying, “Point of Information” or “POI”: to offer a

Point of Information. The debater on the floor is not obliged to
accept every point. He/She may;
 Ask the interrupter to sit down;
 Finish the sentence and then accept point.
 Accept the point there and then.

7.0. COMPETITION RULES FOR KAT 2010

7.1 Tournament rules are decided by the National Level Central Committee
Members. The working committee will abide by the decisions made by
the Central Committee.

Debate Rules and Guidelines

Kejohanan Antara Teknik (KAT) Kali Ke-13
Zon Kelantan / Terengganu