Brief Introduction of Asian Parliamentary Debate

Format of Debate

Overview of Asian Parliamentary Debate

In Asian Parliamentary Style, there are 2 teams - Government and Opposition. Each team has 3 members and each team gives 4 speeches. The format is a limited preparation format, meaning that the topic is announced, depending on the tournament, roughly 30 minutes before the debate.

The 3 members of the Government should defend the motion. The 3 members of the team, each of which gives a 7 minute speech, are:

• 1) Prime Minister
• 2) Deputy Prime Minister
• 3) Government Whip

One speaker from the Government team - either the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister - is charged with giving a 4 minute reply speech that clarifies the debate from the Government perspective without bringing forth new arguments.

The 3 members of the Opposition team should negate the motion and refute arguments brought forth by the Government. The 3 members of the team, each of which gives a 7 minute speech, are:

• 1) Leader of Opposition
• 2) Deputy Leader of Opposition
• 3) Opposition Whip

Like the Government team, one speaker from the Opposition team - either the Leader of Opposition or Deputy Leader of Opposition - is charged with giving a 4 minute reply speech that clarifies the debate from the Opposition perspective without bringing forth new arguments.

In the 7 minute speeches, the opposing team can stand up and ask for Points of Information (POI) after the first minute and until the sixth minute. A POI should be a brief question or comment and not a long-winded monologue or back and forth cross examination session. 

Speaker Roles in Asian Parliamentary Debate

Government:

Prime Minister (PM)

• Define context and parameters of debate. For example, in an open motion like "This House Would Support Musicians", the debate could be contextualized into whether music should be a commodity for trade, or it should be available gratis (i.e. free music download and transfer)
• Provide concise background or history leading to the issue
• Give framework of government bench's case. I.e. mechanisms (if any), argumentation flow (what the government's first argument is and what the Deputy Prime Minister will talk about)
• Introduce 1st argument
• Assert Government stand

Deputy Prime Minister (DPM)

• Rebut first argument from Leader of Opposition
• Rebut rebuttals to PM's argument
• Introduce 2nd and 3rd argument
• Reassert Government stand and case

Government Whip

• Rebut Deputy Leader of Opposition, and Leader of Opposition
• Rebut rebuttals to DPM and PM arguments
• Provide a deeper level of analysis for previous arguments and rebuttals
• No new arguments, but new angles of arguments should be given
• Brief summary of entire case of Government
• Reassert Government stand and case 
• Opposition:
  Leader of Opposition
  • Agree or disagree with context/ parameters of debate (any definitional challenges, accusations of squirreling, or unfair set up should be made from the LO speech and no later)
  • Rebut Prime Minister's argument
  • Give framework for Opposition case (if Opp agrees to problem, then their case should provide solution, or at least effectively highlight how Government proposal will worsen the situation)
  • Introduce first Opposition argument
  • Assert Opposition stand
  
  Deputy Leader of Opposition
  • Rebut DPM and PM arguments
  • Rebut rebuttals to LO arguments
  • Introduce 1st and 2nd (if any) argument
  • Reassert Opposition stand and case
  
  Opposition Whip
  • Rebut DPM and PM arguments
  • Rebut rebuttals to LO & DLO arguments
  • Provide a deeper level of analysis for previous arguments and rebuttals
  • No new arguments, but new angles of arguments should be given
  • Reassert Opposition stand and case
  Reply Speech:
  • Can only be done by either 1st or 2nd speaker from each bench
  • Provide a biased 'oral adjudication' of why the debate should go to own bench
  • Highlight issues you think your side won, carefully tiptoe around issues you think you lost
  • New examples to expand on discussed examples is usually allowed and makes the reply speech sound fresh as opposed to verbal regurgitation
  • Reassert stand 
  • Times and Order of Asian Parliamentary Debate Speeches
    • Prime Minister - 7 minutes
    • Leader of Opposition - 7 minutes
    • Deputy Prime Minister - 7 minutes
    • Deputy Leader of Opposition - 7 minutes
    • Government Whip - 7 minutes
    • Opposition Whip - 7 minutes
    • Opposition Reply Speech - 4 minutes
    • Government Reply Speech - 4 minutes