Debaters allowed to go off topic way too often
SN FattPublished: Feb 20, 2012 5:35 AM | Updated: Feb 20, 2012 5:41 AM
I refer to your news report entitled "Hall erupts as MCA DAP titans face off" and would like express my disappointment on misdirected content and arguments straying off the point presented by both Chua Soi Lek (CSL) and Lim Guan Eng (LGE).
The focal point of the debate should have been closely related to how the Chinese voting trend will influence the direction of national politics, en-route to the formation of a two party system or a two race system come the next general election.
Like many other Malaysians attracted by run-up to this grand debate, I took time off to watch the live telecast but observed that little if any content of this debate actually provide any answers to the two-party or two-race poser.
CSL and LGE are good debaters but they are even better in terms of seizing every opportunity to attack the enemy.
Despite much good praise for the performance of both CSL and LGE, I would like to observe that the whole affair was merely a open quarrel between two traditional rivals; MCA and DAP for the control of Chinese votes en-route to the next GE, if on a live telecast for the first time ever.
Thinking back, we should not blame either CSL or LGE totally as it is natural for rival politicians across the political divide to bad-mouth each other.
However, this debate strayed deep and far and the moderator Tan Ah Chan did nothing to caution both sides. The moderator failed miserably to moderate, so much so that the open quarrel between the debaters spread over to the partisan floor.
Once again, the focal point of the debate should have revolved around the formation of the two party or two race political system, should Chinese voters choose to cast their votes heavily on one side or the other.
CSL should have made clear that it is incumbent upon Chinese voters to remain with BN, to avoid being marginalised in the present political power-sharing formula.
LGE should have put forward the argument that Pakatan would practise racial equality once it succeeds in capturing the federal government.
Looking at the way it developed, both CSL and LGE were just interested in saying what they wanted to say, without taking into consideration the confines of the topic.
Likewise, during question time, supporters from both sides were just interested in posing aggressive questions to embarrass the rival camp without the slightest regard for the dictates of the topic.
It was just an open quarrel and two-way bashing, not a debate governed by topical boundaries.
If this debate was evaluated on examination criteria, both sides would have scored below the passing mark.
To leaders of MCA and DAP alike, if there is a second round, please stay within the confines of the topics. It is okay to stray a little but not so far and so deep that the audience and listeners become more confused than ever.
The focal point of the debate should have been closely related to how the Chinese voting trend will influence the direction of national politics, en-route to the formation of a two party system or a two race system come the next general election.
Like many other Malaysians attracted by run-up to this grand debate, I took time off to watch the live telecast but observed that little if any content of this debate actually provide any answers to the two-party or two-race poser.
CSL and LGE are good debaters but they are even better in terms of seizing every opportunity to attack the enemy.
Despite much good praise for the performance of both CSL and LGE, I would like to observe that the whole affair was merely a open quarrel between two traditional rivals; MCA and DAP for the control of Chinese votes en-route to the next GE, if on a live telecast for the first time ever.
Thinking back, we should not blame either CSL or LGE totally as it is natural for rival politicians across the political divide to bad-mouth each other.
However, this debate strayed deep and far and the moderator Tan Ah Chan did nothing to caution both sides. The moderator failed miserably to moderate, so much so that the open quarrel between the debaters spread over to the partisan floor.
Once again, the focal point of the debate should have revolved around the formation of the two party or two race political system, should Chinese voters choose to cast their votes heavily on one side or the other.
CSL should have made clear that it is incumbent upon Chinese voters to remain with BN, to avoid being marginalised in the present political power-sharing formula.
LGE should have put forward the argument that Pakatan would practise racial equality once it succeeds in capturing the federal government.
Looking at the way it developed, both CSL and LGE were just interested in saying what they wanted to say, without taking into consideration the confines of the topic.
Likewise, during question time, supporters from both sides were just interested in posing aggressive questions to embarrass the rival camp without the slightest regard for the dictates of the topic.
It was just an open quarrel and two-way bashing, not a debate governed by topical boundaries.
If this debate was evaluated on examination criteria, both sides would have scored below the passing mark.
To leaders of MCA and DAP alike, if there is a second round, please stay within the confines of the topics. It is okay to stray a little but not so far and so deep that the audience and listeners become more confused than ever.
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