By, Muhammad Hanif Bin Naim, Umi Kalsum binti Ghazali and Muhammad Hafiz Zhafri Bin Abd Kamal
IIUM Pagoh proudly marked its first-ever participation in the 2nd IMPRINT Open Debate (Butulah Aafaq) 2025, an international-level Arabic debating competition held virtually from October 19 to November 2, 2025. Representing IIUM Pagoh were Sr. Salsabeel Norazam, Br. Hanif Naim, Sr. Nurulhuda Husna, and Br. Hafiz Zhafri, a dynamic team that competed passionately against debaters from various native countries.
The competition, conducted online every Sunday and Monday, followed the Makkah time zone (8:00 p.m.), where teams received their motion at 12:00 a.m. Malaysia time and began debating at 1:00 a.m. despite the challenging schedule. Throughout five intense preliminary rounds, the IIUM Pagoh team achieved three wins and two losses, an impressive feat for a debut participation. Notably, Salsabeel Norazam was named Best Speaker in two rounds, while Hanif Naim earned Best Speaker in the final preliminary round.
With courage, the team’s consistent performance placed IIUM Pagoh in 3rd position overall in this prestigious international competition which is a remarkable milestone for the campus. This achievement continues the legacy of IIUM’s excellence in Arabic debating, following last year’s record where Sr. Salsabeel represented IIUM Gombak and advanced to the Octo-finals.
IIUM Pagoh extends heartfelt congratulations to the team for their dedication, resilience, and outstanding representation of the university at the global level. Their success stands as a testament to IIUM Pagoh’s growing presence in the international Arabic debating arena.***
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