Strawberry Group wins debate training camp

TAWAU: The debate training camp organised by the Tawau Federation of Chinese Language Associations and the Chinese Language Association of SM St Ursula Tawau ended with Strawberry Group emerging as the best debate group.

Elton Tan Jun was the best male debater and Eunice Chan Ko Syn was the best female debater.

The participating schools were SM St Patrick (13 students), SM Ursula (11 students), SMK Tawau (10 students), SMK Jambatan Putih (10 students), SM Holy Trinity (seven students), Sabah Chinese High School (10 students) and Vision Secondary School (seven students).

Media Desa Group chief executive officer Koh Kian Leong who sponsored the event, pointed out that debate is a good way of improving communication skill and helped to enhance interaction and relationship among the participants.

“It is a good platform to train the students’ observation, imagination and logical thinking as well as to promote the debate skills and culture,” he said.

According to Koh, the Tawau Federation of Chinese Language Associations is the mother of the Chinese society to unite the Chinese community and promote their mother tongue and culture.

He urged the students to encourage their juniors to join debate actively and he hoped for more than 300 participants in the next debate camp.

Koh also encouraged the youngsters to join the Toastmaster Club actively in order to strengthen their debate skills and enhance their personal confidence.

President of the Tawau Federation of Chinese Language Associations, Pang Hock Han, said the debate training camp is one of their annual activities to promote the study of Chinese language and Chinese culture.

“Most students in Tawau tend to drop out from the Chinese language subject. Some of them only attended the Chinese language class but reluctant to sit for the exam,” she said.