PUTRAJAYA: The government yesterday launched the Akademi Bahas Madani, a national-level training initiative aimed at strengthening the debate culture in fully residential schools and cultivating students’ critical thinking, intellectual discipline and ethical argumentation.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the 50th edition of the Piala Perdana Menteri Debate held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
The initiative will be implemented immediately at 72 “Sekolah Berasrama Penuh” nationwide.
“I was very impressed not only with the fluency and confidence of the students but also their knowledge, mastery of language and respectful conduct.
“Shouldn’t our MPs take lessons from all of you? The students are firm, articulate, full of substance and yet, they debate politely.
“We must train our students not only to reach for the skies in terms of knowledge and technology but also to remain grounded in character, culture and identity.”
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the newly established academy would serve as a platform for structured, long-term training, with a focus on intellectual empowerment and critical reasoning.
“We want to ensure that students, especially those in Form 3 and Form 4 who show remarkable potential this year, are given equal opportunities to be trained and supported through this academy.
“This will be one of the key agendas leading into next year’s 51st edition of the Piala Perdana Menteri Debate.”
She said the ministry is also looking at the potential for future expansion beyond residential schools through related platforms such as Debat Madani.
Fadhlina also announced that the Bahasa Melayu debate trophy, used since the inception of the competition in 1974, would be retired and handed to the National Archives and a new trophy contributed by Anwar would be introduced in 2026.
In the 50th edition of the debate, Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Kajang won in the Bahasa Melayu category, defeating SBP Integrasi Sabak Bernam, while Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah claimed victory over Sekolah Menengah Sains Muar in the English category.
