KUCHING – Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus showcased the strength and depth of its student debating talent at the Premier of Sarawak Debate Challenge Cup 2026, with both of its teams advancing to the semi-final and one ultimately securing the Runner-Up title in the state-level competition.
Swinburne Team A, comprising Adrian Kamarn anak Ignatius Nyaleng, Joel anak Jack, Mohamad Haziq bin Solamee @ Halmi, and Muhammad Adib Rusydan bin Suharman, progressed to the final after defeating Swinburne Team B in the semi-final. Swinburne Team B comprised Anselm Johnson Lu Piin Cherng, Christian anak Martin, Nur Alia Farhana binti Abdul Hakim, and Rachael Chai Xin Ru.
The other semi-final saw Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak defeat Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to advance to the final against Swinburne Team A.
In the final round, Swinburne Team A represented the government side against UiTM Sarawak on the motion “This House believes that Bintulu Port’s greatest investment for the future should be in Sarawak’s young talent, rather than infrastructure”.
The closely contested final saw both teams engage with the question of how investment priorities could shape Sarawak’s future, with Swinburne Team A ultimately securing the Runner-Up position and UiTM Sarawak emerging as the Champion.
The strong showing by both Swinburne teams, with the guidance of Swinburne Debaters’ Club Advisor Dr Christina Yin, highlights the students’ ability to research and engage with complex issues, develop persuasive arguments, and communicate their perspectives confidently in a competitive setting.
(From left) Joel, Mohamad Haziq, Adrian, and Muhammad Adib with Swinburne Sarawak Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Ir Professor Lau Hieng Ho (right).
Organised by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak this year and hosted at UiTM Sarawak from 15 to 18 August 2026, the tournament brought together 74 participants from 10 institutions of higher learning across the state, competing under the theme “Engaging Minds, Advancing Sarawak”.
The Premier of Sarawak Debate Challenge Cup 2026 provided a platform for participants to develop their skills in critical thinking, intellectual leadership, and effective communication, while exchanging perspectives and building connections with students from other institutions.
Members of Swinburne Team A shared that clinching the Runner-Up position was a meaningful achievement for them and the Swinburne Debaters’ Club as a whole.
“My team and I wanted to prove that having fun with debate can bring success as well. I feel that debating should be fun for everyone and should not be serious all the time,” said Adrian.
He said one of the team’s biggest challenges was identifying the most effective strategies to compete against different teams, adding, “Each team has its own way of debating, and these small differences could mean a lot during debates. Analysing them was tough because, in the end, everyone was trying their absolute best.”
Reflecting on their journey, Joel said their team had agreed from the outset that their priority was to enjoy the experience and do their best.
“I think the zero-expectations mindset we had helped us focus more and feel less pressured. It was also really enjoyable to meet friends from other institutions, as well as new people who share the same passion and interests as us,” he said.
Joel (third from left) debates during the final.
Muhammad Adib said that debate was not always about winning, but also about articulating one’s beliefs with clarity. “I hope we have inspired others to try debate as well,” he said.
Echoing this sentiment, Mohamad Haziq remarked, “While we may not have won this tournament, I believe that our spirited performance throughout the challenge will create more debaters of the new era – where debate can be a fun experience.”
For more information on Swinburne Sarawak, visit its website, Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram page (@swinburnesarawak), LinkedIn page (Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus), X page (@Swinburne_Swk), TikTok page (@swinburnesarawak), YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak), or Xiaohongshu page (@SwinburneSwk).