Two students from Universitas Halu Oleo (UHO) Kendari have made an impressive achievement at the National Indonesian Student Debate Competition. Representing Southeast Sulawesi at the KDMI, they secured gold and bronze medals in the Best Speaker category.
This prestigious event took place at Universitas Jenderal Soedirman in Purwokerto, Central Java. The competition is held annually by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, aiming to foster critical thinking and debate skills among university students.
Achievements at the Debate Competition
Anggun Dwi Paramita, a law student from the Faculty of Law, earned the gold medal as 4th Best Speaker. Aslam Abdurrahman Aziz Lg from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, majoring in English literature, brought home the bronze medal as 15th Best Speaker. Both students participated as part of the KDMI team, accompanied by teammate Desy Gracea Liandany Lanong Buka, also from the Faculty of Law.
According to their coach, La Ode Naufal, the team underwent rigorous selection at the regional level before becoming the official representatives for Southeast Sulawesi. Each KDMI team consists of three participants who debate on various contemporary issues from both the affirmative and opposition sides.
Medal Distribution and Team Performances
The competition recognizes top speakers with a medal ranking system:
- Best Speakers 1-5: Gold Medal
- Best Speakers 6-10: Silver Medal
- Best Speakers 11-15: Bronze Medal
Anggun’s status as the fourth-best speaker earned her top honors with gold, while Aslam secured bronze for 15th place. In addition to their individual success, the UHO team also achieved Breaking Rank-1 in Division One and advanced to the quarterfinals in the same division, demonstrating their strong overall performance.
Further Achievements in National Debate Events
Universitas Halu Oleo’s debating success extends beyond KDMI. At the National University Debating Championship (NUDC), the UHO English debate team, consisting of Emy Aulia, Haikal Gilang Samudra, and N1 Adjudicator Rene Dharma Wangsyah, competed against 96 university teams from across Indonesia. They achieved 16th breaking rank in the Novice Category and progressed to the semifinals as novice semifinalists, showing significant competitive ability at the national level.
Significance for Southeast Sulawesi and UHO
These results highlight the growing reputation of UHO and the potential of Southeast Sulawesi students on the national stage. As debate participants are expected to critically analyze social, political, and cultural issues, the medals signify both intellectual achievement and effective communication skills. The students’ journey involved regional selections, intensive training, and adaptation to the format and demands of national-level debates.
The accomplishment also serves as an inspiration for other university students in the province. In the debate competitions, both individual skill and team collaboration are evaluated, pushing each participant to excel under pressure. UHO’s continued participation and success at both KDMI and NUDC encourage more students from Southeast Sulawesi to join academic competitions, develop public speaking abilities, and represent their region on a broader platform.
Universitas Halu Oleo remains committed to supporting debate programs and fostering young talents to achieve similar or even greater accomplishments in future competitions.
