this year's oscar like when parasite won an award like it helped to put like a different culture to the forefront of like the south korea is, like dealing with their economy in their country this is something that like uh like a lot of people are aware of because of the movie and then they a lot of people watch the movie but then if it's like a book it's something that like


uh you have to like take your time to invest, films like something is of more readily available I think ya


(oo)


I think is is important maybe for history but like


it is important maybe for history but then in our society today it's constantly evolving it's constantly changing you're learning new information everyday


ya but the best books take like , like but then in film is like is easier to, show like the constant uh changing of society in films is and it's like I feel in books it's like


like there's uh short films on youtube those are considered films they don't have to be on a big screen to be considered a film which do take a longer time to make have more uh stages and every so they might not be


that current but then such a short films on youtube both I will consider a film and those are more they can they can be more


yup on that, I think uh books uh they play a maybe a more uh important role in like the older generation maybe but then in the younger generation they are more uh they want everything to be fast


everything to all the information to be presented quickly and in a, book you need to take the time to like slowly like read and then like to understand but then in the movie you can understand things faster and kids these days they want everything to be faster they want to understand things faster and then the best way to do it is through films maybe


ya that's true but then in uh now when we see we have the little screen to show like


where are we going the animation everything then that one is like better already what see how far they are then like they can see all the different exits on the animation then like it's more clearer than the, than the map that we have to ourselves


but like book or uh like maybe a book is a good guide for them you see


but I think films are also a great way, to , expose like film like it can create like for certain people but then no one really gets like famous or like popular through books like


you know it we don't have like a cultural more significance with books even someone we can like admire or like someone who can look up to to books maybe, but then like films have the potential to create film stars


oh


that's okay , I think it's not , sometimes books, can be like a


it can


but I think uh, films are also as something that can be enjoyed within the community like you can go out with your friends and watch a movie together but then


you don't really go out with your friends and watch uh read a book together you know something that you do on on your own time it's not really something that bring the society together and people can come together to watch a movie together


or like and like uh they can they will have all this discussion with their friends and like when they're watching movie together they can bond as well books are something that is like a very individual thing it's something that


you do it on your own time you know and you read to yourself ya and then books are just, films are something you do it as a community ya


okay done, part one debate topic one


yes, okay, okay can


in your society, how well are the demands of the economy and the environment uh balance, I think in singapore's singapore especially, there is uh the demand of the economy is always uh


increasing you know because uh, it's a developed country with more, uh people coming in to singapore, uh, uh always you know be a foreign workers or, uh


to a new investments into singapore uh to further develop singapore so, uh, definitely there will be bound to have more , uh so called, carbon emissions or


some, uh carbon dioxide uh because of the development you know because more energy is required for, the certain developments of uh the country so, I mean, I believe singapore have got many


uh, policies or rather, uh, ideas in place and just stating one example is, uh as you can see right from you come up from the airport right a way there are


uh there are trees planted along the highways and, that is also why singapore is known as a, uh green and clean country you know and that is the idea which gives uh most uh, people uh when it first come step foot into singapore


ya so, at the same time, singapore doesn't have any, natural resources, uh and, as a result you know uh because of uh where we are situated uh


it means that in order to have a better economy we have to look, outside from uh, uh, outside from the natural resources which, many of the countries are, uh have


so for example that means we have to look into tourism aviation and manufacturing you know to boost the, uh economy, and, they are certainly, uh


good for the singapore economy but at the same time, uh, environmentally it might be affected, so, I believe that one of the, ways uh


singapore curb uh such things she said, uh when we take uh, like they're quite, positive or rather, they want they encourage people to take uh the MRT


uh the basically the train in singapore, because uh with lesser cause, it means uh lesser carbon emissions and then better for the environment right and they make they make it affordable, and


affordable and convenient you know that they're they're like right now even they're building on new lines to make it more convenient and cut short the, travelling time needed uh make it, more available routes for people and even as we all know


the the car prices in singapore it's quite expensive because the COE and I think possibly one of the reasons is, uh due to the fact that they want to try and limit the number of cars uh, which is priority, uh for them


uh and at the same time, uh they try to promote uh, uh whether be be it the use of trains or uh basically public vehicles or, , uh there are even new cars that are


more uh uh, fuel efficient you know, uh they have uh, like battery battery ones which are, which helps which helps the, be more environment friendly and obviously


one more thing that that singapore should be proud of is that we have the, Pulau-Semakau I think we would all have heard about it uh to basically I mean, we, every country have a lot of waste and then some countries they are really bad about it


in terms of uh the waste are all over in the ocean in the sea but lucky for us we have pulau semakau, which is quite uh smart because, is the land is basically made of uh I believe the waste and then on on it on itself uh


they actually uh so called, uh convert the waste into, energy and I believe uh, it's something that not almost I mean not many countries have the


uh, so called uh, ability to do it, ya and, and talking about uh being, environment uh, environmentally friendly


uh add to the to the demands of the economy, if you look at if you compare yourself to example, uh hong kong and uh Beijing, the carbon uh emissions are actually much better


uh singapore as compared to them is actually uh doing relatively better as compared uh to this country and why I'm comparing to this country ah because, these are countries that uh are


developing or rather I I I could say uh equally develop as a if you look at hong kong and singapore, that's why uh in terms of, uh, investments wise before COVID situation and before any changes to the, uh law in uh beijing


uh or hong kong or rather hong kong, uh we have they're they're both quite attractive places to, uh invest in


yes yes I did say that


uh can can uh what I want to said uh angel can I ask you a question, uh this one is in our society is it I mean in in this context as it in singapore or is the


no no so in are we talking about our context it as in singapore or any other countries, third should be in singapore so so when we say that when we are debating about this right so now so now we are talking about in in singapore so


yeah I understand where you're coming from whereby different countries have different uh, so called focus because if they're natural resources obviously uh the other mean so called manufacturers because uh they're lucky they are fortunate to have that and then obviously those without at those uh natural resources would love to import them over and


this might shift their focus into uh more of, the sale of their natural resources and a lesser focus on being environmentally, friendly you know but right now if we are in talking uh into singapore context I think there


uh, be even in singapore we can we boast about having uh, gardens by the bay which is uh almost uh everyone's a tourist attraction uh it's a tourist attraction whereby uh many tourist goes go there and and they're amazed by the uh by how the the government or whether singapore can have that you know because uh


you can talk about having the most beautiful city in uh many other countries but like what are the, uh, it with such little resources and a small country we can have a garden


by the bay and I mean obviously it's very pretty and, but secondly most importantly I think part of it is like, I helped uh to keep the environment balance


ya so


now now correct, we, we can all agree that we can all agree that uh when when it comes to talking about air quality and talking about, uh the environment


uh even we we through this COVID situation we have seen like countries like india they have finally see oh they they have seen like things that they haven't seen because their clearer clearer air you know but what I'm saying is that, economic economically singapore is very uh we're probably one of the best and then but if we compare ourselves with like countries like china or indonesia who is developing you know uh


uh india, oh ya basically all this country if you go to the if you go to the country you'll be amazed by the differences uh in the air quality because, and you appreciate that singapore air quality is actually much better than


uh the other countries you know like if it if if uh you are not aware of a even before a COVID situation whereby mask is a must to put uh it's a compulsory to put it on like even in other countries due to the


number of case, and number of uh, the the the amount of people living there and basically uh how these countries are developing, they are actually already putting on mask, which is like if if if you look around in singapore is like uh before uh COVID inside you you barely see anyone putting on a mask unless they are really feeling unwell or you go to the doctors or you go to the clinic you know so what I'm saying is that


ultimately we can agree that, uh singapore is actually doing well uh balancing both their economy and the environment


okay ya so, and even now if you are unaware of it like, little little my details matter to singapore because, basically even if you hold a wedding in uh in singapore if you hold it at #hort park# they actually give you twenty percent discount for your


wedding so I know that not many people are aware of this but, what I'm saying is that little policies at this uh my actually it will not benefit a lot of people because wedding wise is rather


a one time of thing and uh people uh discuss about the, uh venue where they want to hold it but what I'm saying is that, this twenty percent discount might be a good uh


idea when it comes to their head you know maybe like should should should you hold it there or in should you hold it that, so it come back to my point that, they're again trying to be, environmentally friendly


, (mmhmm), (mmhmm), yes


(ppc) ,


so I I understand that, you were saying that with the increase in price, that their, still uh many cars on the roads but what if, the prices are low, let's say we compare ourselves to malaysia to thailand to indonesia just southeast asia country I believe that cars will be much more affordable


to singaporeans and that means that there will be, a surge in number of cars and, in till like that means that, the number of cars were increase on the road and you wouldn't be good


weird my phone, don't have do okay


discuss the weird of, part two debate uh topic two, okay noted


discuss the view that most natural disasters are the result of human activity, okay so basically we both know that, global warming is a thing that, the world or the other world is trying to


(mmhmm), uh stop you know like it's something that we are working on uh almost, almost every month you will see articles about uh them talking about it but what I'm trying to say uh


put it right now that actually, humans should uh basically become here, and most of it most of such natural disasters, uh are caused by us, and just let me state a very


uh good example that we as singaporeans although we are lucky that uh, uh singapore the laws are quite strict and uh not much human activities apart from, uh what we talked about uh carbon emissions which uh I think the world is a uh contributes to it uh is that


we always get haze in singapore, we we always get haze in singapore, and, uh that is something that, uh, we as singaporeans uh, are aware that, it comes from uh indonesia and why uh


it comes from indonesia is basically of the killing of lands, uh uh in uh, in indonesia because it's easier to clear the land you know when they want to uh, so called plant new uh, uh


things to grow agriculture so they just burn it and eventually it causes uh, a forest fires so, uh as a result of that through this uh, man made uh uh wildfires it leads into uh


uh, it affects uh uh others uh, ya it leads to other uh possible natural disasters


correct but, what I'm saying that is that like there are things that certain things that we can control and there's certain things that are, we really cannot control and we're fortunate that in singapore, for context uh we are almost uh kept away from


uh natural disasters but, but now what you say is that tornadoes and stuff, that uh I believe that is the minor, natural disaster you know and most of the time when you see in the news what what they always uh talk about is like uh tsunami you know


so let let say if if if the if there's a tsunami is at a world news you know so what I'm saying is uh, like just now I just said like carbon emissions and air pollution and, I believe that , with uh a high with more uh global warming uh


uh increasing you know, it is actually quite uh, devastating because, one thing leads to another why I said that is visit is is basically because with uh increase in temperature uh and more greenhouse gases you know uh there would be


the ice uh basically melts be in greenland antarctica and, why it affects the planet as a whole is basically uh, it increase the, uh the sea level, you know and with and there are many like with the with


the increase in sea uh seawater level how it affects uh low lying uh countries you know, and, there had already been reports that certain small uh, uh islands or rather low lying uh countries


uh they they might be play a potentially might be extinct uh because they are covered by, the increased uh of uh seawater and, uh coming to say that uh it it it also means that


with the increase in seawater there will be uh floods, and when it comes to floods, when it comes to floods uh, it will affect uh, humans uh, uh ya impact directly especially all those that uh stays uh


uh near the the waters you know so, but these are ya, so basically what I'm saying is, this wouldn't have happened if, uh


humans are more careful about, uh, how uh they take care, uh, or rather they take care of what activities they do you know so that uh, uh it might be as easy as uh


you you don't use so much electric electricity so that there be lesser burning of fossil fires or, you don't uh, cut down trees unnecessarily


ya so so so that brings you to the conclusion that, the most natural disasters are actually the result of human activities because, as, because you said you said that, uh, uh some some some activities are


so called, uh in order for us to leave uh or rather in order, for us the basic uh needs like having a shelter with lights you know in the night you need uh to switch on the lights you need electricity that's a contribution to natural disaster and that is true human activities


so, that also means that most natural disasters are result of human activity


so what so what is the cause so what is the cause in your opinion what is the cause, (mmhmm)


but, in term when you said not where's but you see, , when you you when you're saying that , it is natural for, for uh, such disaster to happen


but, in terms of back thirty forty years ago I believe that humans have already been around and they already started using uh, maybe electricity uh and it because they're


like maybe thirty forty years ago singapore was developing you know so, and there's also uh, natural disaster there you know I I get what you mean that thirty forty years ago there's already natural disaster


but, uh as you, sorry, uh I understand that thirty forty years ago you said there's already natural disaster, but there are also existence of early human activities, like using the car's and everything and that is that is why


uh it contributes to, uh natural disaster but bring my point bring myself to next point also humans consume uh, uh, animals be uh it can be milk cheese


uh, be it meat itself, and, with that forest have to be cleared uh land have to be cleared for uh for them uh to, uh for more animals so that they can be grown for human uh consumption so


when you when you uh remove uh, these forests uh basically land it destroy the habitat and also it it kind of disrupt the uh water cycle so you know as we have learn like back then when we younger uh with lesser


with lesser with lesser chase around uh rainwater, will will be uh won't be absorbed uh because of the uh lesser trees available and then uh it causes uh uh water cycle issue and then


that eventually leads to uh flooding and some soil erosion in certain places, and, uh with that it affects uh, humans because of uh, it indirectly uh


affects human, although uh they don't see it


no but now I'm now now what you saying is that, in terms of that consumption of, uh like, animal products you know like chicken, like like cows like, ya basically the consumption uh


the increase in consumption of it means that we have to clear more land for, uh, to grow more animals for human consumption and that will affect the, the the cycle, which eventually leads to uh


uh other, uh other uh natural disaster


the, they they are not aware that, it is indirectly caused by their own, actions because uh, as I as I state again, at earlier that, deforestation is a huge thing


and, because of uh the clearing of, plant and a lesser water being able to be absorbed, uh it results into such a, natural disasters like floods, ya


or even or even jobs you know because when there's when when water can't be absorbed into the ground and the cycle will be broken down and then, uh, sometimes there won't be rain and it'll be uh, uh these people will be affected by it


yeah exactly and and one one one of the reasons why I'm saying that is basically, uh, now if you look into the into the news is always uh the case whereby they are trying to uh, uh cut down the amount of carbon dioxide or basically carbon emissions into the uh


in the world and then uh to close the ozone layer as well, because uh, the sea level is rising and, it's it's a huge concern for the world


(mmhmm), correct so I understand that what uh the the number of uh, that natural disaster event is a something to debate but what I'm saying is that if you look at uh maybe we we look at just two thousand two to two zero one nine is about a something years uh


uh increment there easily an increment in number of disaster uh natural disaster in the long in the long run


part three debate topic three


not my ID, I know I can't I can't that somewhere, ah don't have


angel not mind right what's that sound, I don't hear anything


see ha okay okay ID, discuss the view that with an increasing global need for energy, every possible source should be fully exploited


so, from my point of view is that, now uh, with countries developing, and uh, rather uh countries that are developed, uh, they have the


a uh tendency to uh use more energy to produce more uh economic results, however uh, with with developed and developing uh countries uh


normally being richer than uh, uh most countries, uh, they should actually uh look into look look into alternative uh, a sustainable renewable


uh energy uh, because uh reason being that, firstly obviously it is sustainable and, uh secondly it is uh, uh, uh more environmentally


uh friendly so, uh in term of it we all know that uh such uh, natural resources eventually it will come to a point whereby uh it will finish


it is just dependent on uh when uh, when it should be, uh it will finish so uh with, and and also at the same time uh the growth of


number of people in this world, uh basically directly means that, there will be a more energy needed uh, uh because uh basically uh more people it means uh more activities and more uh


uh natural uh, things happening like uh as simple as are using the fan or uh switching on the lights, so, I feel that uh, an increased global need for energy uh there should be


uh they should try to explore every possible source of uh energy and, uh, and definitely different countries uh have different uh


approach or different uh options available because a geographically sometimes it plays a part uh some places or be more windy or some places the temperature higher uh and majestic singer


for uh as an example uh along the roads now on the highway if you uh if you noticed it, or even uh on top of your uh HDB flats are some of the estate they already started uh putting a solar panels and and they're trying to use it as an uh alternative uh


uh source of uh energy so ya I think, uh, every possible source uh should be fully exploited to limit the, uh global warming


correct


but okay so we will use uh singapore as an example ah so what I'm saying is that, uh, uh basically singapore is a, quite a rich country we don't have any lapse eh you know as compared to some of the other developed uh developing countries so if you wanna be sustainable in terms of uh


uh, sustainable holistically, the world have to come together and work together you know so yes you are seeing that some are richer than the others and, uh some uh uh, not as a rich and the ability to afford uh maybe some of uh some new sustainable reusable uh energy might be limited you know because of uh


the the money that they have you know but what I'm saying is that uh, because of the increased global need for energy the richer countries can actually uh try to look for alternative


and with that if you look at it from a holistic point of view if there's a lesser use of a fossil fuel in singapore and uh maybe uh because due to the increase in the number of people in india uh the fossil fuels are uh increase uh


uh it's a balance, it's it's a it's a balance you know because it's a balance because, uh, singapore uh decrease the use of fossil fuels but other countries uh increase the uh amount of fossil fuel there's a balance and there's a control but in the long run what we wanna see is that


uh we want to make uh, I believe uh when it's more available out there and when technology are more advanced countries are developing they have more money and, together they can uh, they can uh


make sustainable and reusable uh energy uh, more affordable because uh and it's more affordable to them because of their, uh increase in uh, uh, the country's uh wealth and uh they can invest in it so it starts off with uh the richer countries investing in


uh, uh such energy and decreasing the use of fossil uh fuels, but, and I believe that there are a lot of interesting other uh there are a lot more interesting ways whereby we can produce energy, and what I'm saying is that uh apart from solar they have uh


uh wind but obviously it depends on uh geographically where you are situated because some countries uh, they have more wind as compared to some other countries you know and also uh, you can use a water water is a way whereby


uh, you can uh it uh produce energy but, again, different countries have different natural resource uh resource that, they can uh uh, potentially used to


uh create energy and even one of the, one of those interesting ways uh which I saw online recently is adapt because uh traffic are quite busy on the highway and basically they're using uh


the wind produced by a fast moving cast to, uh to run uh the I think quite uh, turbine or rather the kinetic energy, and, yes is is it it's a test whereby


the country is willing to invest and it all starts with a uh uh countries taking uh, a chance or uh rather uh uh taking uh, uh opportunity


to figure out if uh it's sustainable and it's cost effective at the end of day and, I think this has to be this have to start with uh the richer countries, and, uh hopefully moving forward uh, uh it can be a juice in uh


in the world as well


but I understand okay in terms of balancing wise uh perhaps uh it's something that we can uh it's something that we have look into because uh uh, if you compare to singapore and india definitely singapore lose out in terms of uh population size and also the country the size of the country but


there are a lot of other developed countries that are much bigger than singapore and if uh what I'm saying is that was uh uh so called uh, idea that I was sharing because if there a lot of other developing countries uh that can uh possible looked possibly look into other uh reasonable uh energy and it the production of uh


such energies are good and efficient, I think that uh it will the the the pros and uh will outweigh the cons and uh, and uh, in a whole it will help uh


developing countries uh, promote the use of uh such energy and uh china exploit uh such sources of energy instead of just uh, uh using uh, fossil fuel you know and and


uh sorry and at the same time as you said in, they're you know like I think, to be honest they're if I look at them they are probably one of the more the uh they're developing really well right now even if you take it for uh recent events even a apple you know apple already moving some of their uh manufacturing uh


factories to there uh to produce uh iphones uh like I did like most of us are probably a have an, apple product and uh I think it shows that uh even countries I mean like companies like apple uh have faith in uh


uh in, uh india so it means that it's something that they uh it's something that they should be proud of because the uh, uh they are developing and they should surely have the ability or rather they are not far from the rest uh to have the ability to uh produce such energy


(mmhmm)


, now


I believe that uh it is quite clear that, fossil fuels will still be the, the main source of uh, energy however, uh, because of the increase in uh the need for energy uh globally


uh, every source every possible source of uh, energy uh, should be or rather can be uh exploited should the


should the country ones uh, uh to put in some effort and uh, uh, invest uh into the developments of uh, uh such energy because it takes money and take time and


uh certainly uh, I think whichever country that uh, can afford or can can come up with a, uh, reusable energy, uh, will also profit in long run if the


uh if they go through developments and they can share it with uh, other countries you know like for example many countries are already uh looking to uh like solar panels and solar power


part one debate topic one


yeah


I suppose my job with cola, okay wait, still can hear it


okay, no eh but I never own any talent I cannot hear okay


(ppc)


okay so, okay, okay, so lionel I just wanna say so I think you say that


based on singapore contacts uh the demands of the economy and environment is balance right, am I right to say that okay I agree that uh to a certain extent, to a certain extent that economic growth and environmental uh performance must go hand in hand because the natural environment is a central economic activity and growth and also it is providing uh it it's providing the resources we need to produce goods


and also absorbing and processing unwanted unwanted buy products in the form of pollution and waste, but then you said that uh singapore is a clean and green country right although their economy is good and stuff


but at the same time (ppc) singapore doesn't have any natural resources right that as you said so singapore need to look uh for external resources lah from other countries like for example water from malaysia and


uh maybe palm oil from malaysia also so to me, for singapore contact is balance but then, for other countries is not uh as balance as singapore as you can see if you go to


other countries like, malaysia or even thailand there's not there's not much especially in the city area there's not much and the trees are like a greeneries, as much as you can find in singapore so


what I believe is because they have they have the natural resources but, other countries like singapore and the country that do do not have any natural resources based like they, take the natural resources from other countries ah that's where


to me that the country that have natural resources do not have, a balance uh demand of economy and environment uh environment balance ah it's not balance if you agree with that like you know


uh it's


okay I can I can I can agree with you that singapore is really trying


to be environmental friendly like, you say that they have the gardens by the bay and they, uh make sure that the public transport are affordable for people but then


even though they they have all this stuff like you can see, the environment and the climate is not it still not good, like even though even though they are trying their best but then


okay now I'm okay I understand but then I'm not saying that singapore is not doing well like if you said like if you compare to china and india like before COVID they must wear a mask and all right


but, let's say okay for example like they said that they increase the price of the car so that people won't buy and less people will drive a car in singapore right you agree with that


but then at the same time they also increase the the price of the public's public transport, and like even yeah your MRT and buses ah so I mean


and if you see you uh the the prices of the car in singapore is rising but then still people in singapore still buy and you can see a lot of jams especially like around rush hour timings like after work or when they are going work


so I don't think it's a, it's, it's it's working that well if they want uh increase the price of the car, because they still we still have a lot of cars on the road, and that causes


like environmental problems ah


yeah, twenty minute


okay, debate topic two


!aiyo!


(ppc)


so uh I can say that you are, you said that most natural disasters are the result of human activity right okay I, I am not saying that it's wrong, but you can't blame entirely because of uh human activity because even like


we go back to like last time when I did when , the pollution is not that much, and the the what's that call, did you like you said the natural disaster are cause from human activity right like last time we don't have much cars and all and the quality of the air and everything is good but still they have like


natural disasters they still have a tornado they still have hurricanes they still have uh, any any other kind of natural disasters so we can't blame entirely on human activity yes it does cause a certain


uh point of , level like for natural disasters but then we can't blame mostly on human activity


okay


okay but it is hard, for human do not survive on electricity and like for now like the world is advancing very fast, so you need a lot of things like electricity like now actually can see there's a lot of cars in the road on the road


so like you can't blame human activity because it is just natural for us to use this kind of uh things like basic things like electricity which will cause natural disaster, but then it is hard to prevent or even to reduce the amount of use uh the amount of electricity used in the world


so yeah like I said it is not mainly dependent on the human activity, but sometimes it is just, natural, for the world to have a natural disaster


ya and, if we were to I know that nowadays like they try to be environmental, free and stuff but then it is hard because not every every country you have that technology to be environmental


uh save like uh singapore for instance like you can compare singapore india like in india they don't have like electricity cost maybe they have but not as much as singapore, yeah


okay I'm not saying the most I'm saying it is partly because of human negative I'm not blaming mostly on human activity because like I already said like before all this electricity and all before like back then like very like maybe


thirty forty years ago they still have natural disasters and there are, they're, I mean ozone layers are all still okay but they still have all these natural disasters, it's is it it's it's


partly of course human activity and it's partly is just a natural it's natural, I think for for the for the earth to have this kind of natural disasters,


okay, ya but you says that human in like okay maybe in the nineties or in eighties they still use car's right but they are I don't think they use as much like compare to now do you agree with that


uh oh so you so you are saying that all the natural disaster is being caused by human it's not it's not natural it's not natural thing for us to have just


okay so, I wanna ask you so like so you are saying, there there are less disaster happening back in the, this compared to now because now they are using more electricity and stuff and more pollution so you're expecting more natural disasters from this


okay so but, I have this data, it is by


the the world health, natural disaster uh data lah, so it states that in nineteen thirty one nineteen thirty one back in nineteen thirty one, it had occurs uh the most natural disaster compared to from two thousand


until now the year two thousand until now, so like I said that even though back then nineteen, twenties uh they don't use as much electricity but then they still have more


, natural disasters happening compared to now so that's why in my point I said that is not been I mean I'm not saying that in, it's it's not right


it's right to use like all the electricity and pollution and it does not cost at all but it does cost to a certain amount, the certain extent but then, it is not, and tidy based on human, fault lah yeah


yeah twenty minute


okay, part three debate topic three, eh we can we can we can talk right


ya let's just discuss on the topic, like


this one how lah okay, but


okay like you said but it is hard you know, because uh like okay for country like us singapore, japan and more and fun's technology this easier for us to use


the natural energy cause firstly we are more uh technology advance compare to countries like, uh india some parts of india, sri lanka all this so they


they need, the not uh natural uh energy, as you can see ah between two thousand five and two thousand thirty energy needs uh projected to expand by fifty five percent in this world


with demand increasing from eleven point four billion of oil equivalent to seventeen point seven and also as you, you know uh oil coal coal, and guest to get the account for the majority of global primary energy consumption in this world and also


as you know that uh fossil fossil fuels uh they consume uh like are consumed for energy supplies in number of face including transport, heat electricity and ya all this and


all over the world , like I believe that people are using still using fossil fuels for all these and like I said it's not easy, for, lesser technology and uh advanced countries for them uh to use all this natural solar panels


and stuff because it's not firstly is not easy is not cheap, for them to have all these uh natural energy sources from, ya


okay


okay I do agree that, for the richer countries they should move towards uh natural energy, like for singapore japan all these rich countries, but then when you say it's gonna be balance out


uh I disagree on that because if you wanna compare singapore and india how big is india and how smaller singapore and the amount of usage of, uh fossil fuels in india as compared to singapore which is trying to move towards clean and energy uh natural energy


so the the balance is not there you see because india is so big, and the usage the amount of fossil fuels are used in, india is much much much more, than is being used in singapore for example so


like I say that and, that like uh like you said that the richer countries uh must play some part in this yeah, but then, it won't be balanced out it still, imbalance you know because not not every country is rich and I guess


and the countries that are not that, technological advance like india is what india is already one of the biggest country in the world and the most populated country in the world so they use the amount of usage of fossil fuels coal


will be not balance so I guess that's it won't be balance lah basically


ya okay I agree okay go


okay so back to the question like the question said the increasing global need for energy right in this world so every possible saw should be fully exploited yes it should be fully exploited but then


it is hard for us uh some countries lah like I said, I mean it's good, we should like every possible source should be exploited but then it is not it comes with a price it's not cheap, so


it's it's good for them, countries that uh that are that are rich that there are economically doing good, but for the countries that are not doing well for their economic uh so it's hard for them lah to exploit to exploit


all the source of energy that we can produce ah whether be it fossil fuel or natural energy, ya so my point is we should be


exploiting every resource uh energy source of energy in in this world but then it is not easy for us for singapore may be as not them for other countries like, maybe uh, Zimbabwe uh


those less developed countries is very hard for them so yeah so it's gonna be very hard to uh exploit every single energy sources that they can find


yeah


part one debate topic one, (ppc) (ppc)


definitely I disagree , I believe that the written form are still required to like , show signs to people like, you can't expect to have , a person at a at the at the signpost telling you what to do so like is a written form kind of signage that they tells you some information that doesn't require a human being that speak that speaks the language ya


so like when when people let's say we go traveling like there will be signs to tell you okay turn left to turn left to orchard central turn right to raffles this kind of thing so these are the importance of written form language instead of like if you talk about


if you agree that spoken language more important than, you will be agreeing on that, you would rather have one person standing there telling each and every car that eh, turn left go to orchard road turn right go to raffles


I would I would disagree again because, like, for example if we were to go to, let's say we'll to go to like we were to go travelling, and then we were to go to place that is deserted there's nobody there


definitely you'll be wishing for like, eh there's, hopefully there's a written form of sign or something that gives you a direction, but I mean, firstly definitely you'll be looking for someone but, when you know there's really nobody then you'll be looking for a sign


and then, if we say that spoken language more important, I would say that it , it correlates each other lah if you can speak I mean you can also read and write it will be good rather than, you can speak the language only rather and not write or read the language know


(ppc) (ppc) (ppc) (ppc)


okay so your your your you still stand on your point that, spoken language more important, than the written form is it,


(ppc)


(ppc), (ppc), okay I believe uh this part of you I would uh I would agree like for those people who can't


read and write spoken language definitely the more important form, but if we were to take history into place how is history brought forward until today it's all in written form, because the people that made history are not alive anymore like let's say #lee kuan yew# so who who is to tell my son that who #lee kuan yew# is I mean I can't be telling him all the way or or my grandson so he has to read from the books like founding fathers #lee kuan yew# definitely like we can find it in popular or what MPH so it's a written form that


brings down messages or from over centuries like how we knew about you know all the history sir stamford raffles and stuff so (ppc) my point of, written form is I will feel is also as important as a spoken a spoken language


so let's say if we if we want to talk, about apps and like vehicle that uses voice apps and AIs right but before you can even download the app right, or use before you can even use the app right you would need to read the the written form of what the app is like app like like the app that using appen right we even need to type in like appen okay we need to read that okay install we need to read that okay we need register we need to login we need key in our username


before we can actually use the AI, so is is where the written form comes in first before you know the AI and everything comes in, so it's like a basic for for for all these act to come in cause if we were to say that


okay how are we supposed to help the the people that are illiterate that can't read or write because if these people can't read or write they can't even use this apps, cause they don't even know how to use these apps they can't even read


eh, as sorry sorry please repeat yourself again


I mean for one, it passes down knowledge without emotions, like, the first point which you touch on like how, how #lee kwan yew# brings down his knowledge to people okay let's say if it's the same set of knowledge that is coming in from


another person, it may sound boring and not interesting that, the person that hearing is wouldn't be absorbing it but however from #lee kuan yew# itself is more interesting and more uh absorbing so he will take in however for a person that is more into the written form right he will just read it as a very


emotionless content, I mean some people can absorb that lah but, so there'll there'll be more like you know it's not it's not a bias, bias tone kind of thing for the for that subject itself uh


okay this I would have to (ppc) (ppc), agree to disagree , ya definitely I would agree with your point that okay like this kind of words of , intimate words definitely is more emotional with speech rather than you send a text message or you write a letter but however they are still different instances where you can use the written form to show you know (ppc) like like you can send a letter


I mean even if you tell your loved one that you love them every day and comparing it to writing a letter to them it will be a, totally different feeling at least you put in the effort to pen down your feelings


and then when they open up the letter they will feel like oh !wow! this guy actually wrote me a letter like from the bottom of his heart and then for the person that is penning down the letter right, he also takes the time to go through his mind and think of what he really wants to say


rather than just speaking it without like thinking or something (ppc)


I would say but is subjective, to the purpose, to to to to the event itself like let's say (ppc) say if it's valentine's day definitely some people will rather receive


a letter, than, a simple gesture of like saying I love you know because I think like this word is oftenly use in the modern society, what are the chances that people writes a letter nowadays so it's like they feel that eh you actually put in the effort you know


to to write a letter for me rather than like oh you can just tell me I love you from your mouth ya so like, (ppc), (ppc) (ppc)


okay this this this this point right, I got to give it to you okay in in this context of emotional romance right definitely spoken language is more important than the written form, then back to my point to disagree is that, how about we talk about business contracts would a verbal contract


be more important than a written contract drafted by a lawyer


ya ya ya


I mean is is is is the result of what, is written on that piece of contract, that makes the decision what you get what I mean it can be like how how much talk how much debate you want to have, for five years but it just comes down to that maybe like five minutes of signing that contract


that determines what the terms and conditions set to get things going, I mean okay if you were to say that spoken language more important in this instance right let's say if you agree with someone or something and then at the end of at the end of the day


how do you go back to what you have agreed on based on your verbal conversations, like I would to tell you like okay let's start a business today you will take sixty percent I'll take fifty percent eh you I'll take forty percent, then at the end of the day how do we go back to like eh


you told me that we will like, forty sixty right but how come now is like fifty fifty, but I'm the one that come out with all the money and I want I'm the I'm the one that does all the work also that kind of thing, so there's going to be another debate arising from this, initial debate when there's no and written form of a contract


that both parties can agree on and signature is also by a written form you see


(mmhmm) (mmhmm)


okay let's take a very real example like you can read thai and you can speak thai like for me I can only speak thai so a lot of time is like very disadvantage for me


to not be able to read and or even write cause there are stuff that I don't even understand so I got to ask you but I can I can speak but I can't read and I can't write but a lot of thing are in signs so definitely I would want to read and write if I could lah I feel that that's very crucial for me in that in the language itself lah ah


(ppc) okay ya for me also to conclude that I will feel that both has to come in hand in hand for a language to be learn ya rather than having just a spoken language or just the written form ya thank thank you for your time christ


part two debate topic two


oh I would have to disagree because, there would be values to preserving minority languages in the world but, I would feel that we should see everyone as


a human instead of like, being like a racist like that something like that you know I wouldn't say we are racist but, say like, if you put it that way right we would be like racist we would be judging like oh, this guy speaks this language so he's from here maybe some people would choose to like you know


this guy speaks hokkien oh he's #ah beng# he's a gangster that kind of thing you see, so I wouldn't say that there won't be values in preserving minority languages but is to, how minority languages


is helping the world like if you touched on like, preserving minority languages will will will will will bring back to their cultural difference like kind of food they're eating that kind of thing, then uh then I think is okay


but I feel that sometimes preserving minority languages may create like , okay let's say if I were to have a company, and I were to hire chinese, we talk about chinese minority group because that's most that we know of like, hokkien cantonese hakka Foochow


like, all these different group of, minority uh minority languages chinese, if I were to have a company of I would hire them, they would be speak they will be somehow like knitted in their own groups like okay you can speak cantonese okay we talk we speaking cantonese is better like


I do not know whether the other chinese can speak the other minority languages or maybe some of them can so you're somehow break break down the, the the team, so it's like you would rather have them speak chinese altogether and mingle altogether rather than have them in small little groups speaking their minority languages


which have will break their you know like a community kind of thing


(ppc)


okay let's let's touched on the topic itself the topic is like is there any value in preserving minority languages in the world, this a very generic topic


which I don't know how am I supposed to like, (ppc), opposed to it you know like is there any value


yes yes I I I I I do agree, (ppc)


ya ya this this I agree there some like expressions like, can't be translated ya, (ppc) but , is there any value in preserving minority language, can I say that I agree that there is value in preserving minority languages in the world because like as per what you say it it it brings together the the cultural the background of everybody when it come down to the root that !hey! we are chinese so we have to you know


we have to eat the yellow noodles you know, we have to eat like #char kway teow# that kind of thing this this I agree but , (ppc) how , how we perceive the value in preserving minority languages


this is this is my conclusion already, so so (ppc) you feel that there is a lot of value in preserving minority languages in the world right


okay okay okay, so what are some of the examples to to support your your case


this I agree but (ppc) however I feel that, there is no way for us to preserve the minority languages if the elder ones are not the ones passing down


the knowledge to the to the younger ones let let's say hokkien, there isn't exactly a book that teaches you hokkien one O one or like how to learn hokkien or how to learn cantonese is usually, brought down from like when your parents speak to, when the adults speak to the adults when you were young then you would just pick up then you will like oh what is this what you talking about you try to understand from their from (ppc) from the expression that what this word means and what (ppc) as we grew up I feel that there's no exactly a


like exact textbook or a place that you can actually learn like for hokkien like what this word actually means for cantonese what this would actually means that's a there's not a place, so is mainly, is still chinese, so when they it's actually like


chinese but they just come up with like, different vocal, vocals vocal tone of it like, to to to to tune to how they actually, are used to saying it


ya, so eventually uh every minority group comes from a main set of, language like chinese like I know like, I don't know if french if they have minority languages ya, the most that I know of is chinese because we are chinese you know


like for example thai they are also minority groups that separates them like the north the south, the northeast and the south, but eventually it goes it is just, it thai, generally thai words which are in the written form


but is how they read it, in their own tones and their own cultural background oh, which which I agree with you that it brings down to their like, culture like, how their hold their wedding what kind of food they're more specialised in making or or even like the trade they're doing like


why I mean is is if, is as per, what each minority group is, specialised for in cooking let's say hainanese chicken rice, teochew porridge that kind of thing, it's like this kind of thing definitely will be brought down I think


there are values because, in terms of the language wise people will cherish the delicacies that come, down from the the minority group itself like for us chinese we just eat like okay what what is chinese food to you, what is chinese food to you let's say


oh gosh what is chinese food to me let's said chicken rice people will think that oh chicken rice is chinese food, but they have no idea than is actually from, originated from hainanese hainan, that kind of thing


so I would agree on you that preserving the minority language is important which brings down to the cultural and the food and then you know the habits of everyone, ya, but the thing is


how much can we preserves the languages, how can it be like you know, educated, there isn't a school that teaches like hokkien and there isn't a school that teaches like cantonese there isn't like you know


all this minority languages school, it's all like what I said, err pass down from, the elders to their younger ones or, sometimes is like the friends you mingle with, , that you will get more exposed to these languages


which the younger ones nowadays like, they have no knowledge in this kind of languages, ya, but they will tell you that oh my dad is hokkien but I can't speak hokkien I just speak chinese and english or some even don't speak chinese they just speak english itself cause they feel that oh english is more important is the like


the main language that the world is using or chinese is the main language the world is use is using for some countries, felt it's very, subjective to us saying that whether there is any value


but if we were to preserve their culture that then this is definitely something that that is, more, value added to the world lah that separates the the different


part three debate topic oh sorry oh sorry sorry wait wait wait wait wait, debate topic three the book has no place in modern society


part three debate topic three


I feel that no matter how high tech (ppc) the modern society is (ppc), there still a need for books it brings down to like, how, everything was written in books


so it gives you the value, of that information rather than clicking it from the internet I mean there's only some stuff lah like, like languages definitely through books, or through or through the internet, I think is subjective because some people maybe will will will will will rather


go over the bookshelf grab a book sit on the chair and scrolled through the book rather than, squinting their eyes on the on the phone on the laptop reading a story because this is not how reading was made you see reading was made


to be read through a book instead of through a screen that's my my point lah


but you see right (ppc) for for for the book wise like what you say like, is more environmental friendly but nowadays, the papers are all made from environmental recycled materials so you don't have to worry about the environmental part you see is a very green thing already now


but the thing is like I would agree with you that, books actually tend to take more space like in the the house let say if you were to have a hundred books in the house or the bookshelf it will take up a lot of space rather than uh having a, kinder itself (ppc) so it goes back to


preserving a cultural you know, cultural identity of the book you see it goes down to that like !wah! this guy is reading or or when you see someone in the public like holding a kinder or a phone reading something you'd be thinking that


ah this guy must be must be like looking at facebook waiting at his friends rant post or something like that, you won't be thinking that oh this guy is actually reading like harry potter or stuff, but if you see someone like who is on the train, or some public transport holding a harry potter book and you know deeply engrossed into it you'll be like !wah! this book so interesting meh


you know it like it like somehow, brings the, sophistication to him, in terms of like vision wise


ya ya more of the more for a like


no okay lets say from, if you limit the books has no place in modern society okay let's touch back to what, our education has brought us like let's say , when we learn chinese okay when we do like I don't know what is it called in english lah it's called the #si zi#


where we have to write a word like maybe I don't know how many times per day like thirty thirty thirty times per day on a on jotted book ya, you know ya the spelling like the vocab of the chinese characters, so like, without these books that let us scribble on write on


would you actually on your laptop like go and write it out I believe, not many people will, rather than holding the pencil and know writing the


I feel that this is where the books come in lah like workbooks I'll feel that workbooks, definitely has a has a still has a place in the modern society


(ppc)


okay this this I would agree lah with with certain industries and stuff like, definitely taking up the books, or the physical, book account stuff will be easier and more manageable but I would be saying that okay let say books in schools somehow they don't only educate or only let your children learn more


they learn about responsibility also, like when your child forgets to bring his book, teacher will punish him, because of what oh you forgot to bring your book you know is a tool for you it's like is like teaching them, morals and responsibility also that kind of thing that's what I feel lah but however like


if you have (ppc) let say if I were to go to a school, where I just have to learn through an Ipad I just have to bring an Ipad to school (ppc), so where are all the values that, we we we once went through like okay we'll got to look at our timetable and see that okay we have chinese tomorrow we have english tomorrow we have math's tomorrow so I got to pack all these books


or work and work textbooks and workbooks into my bag, okay I got spelling tomorrow too I got to pack in that small little jotted book that is for spelling, this kind of thing like on friday I have arts and crafts so these, these builds up a responsibility in the child itself I feel rather than you having a ipad okay


oh it's so easy everyday you just have to bring this Ipad oh, daddy has money he just buys me an Ipad and then uh ya ah I study through Ipad I study through Ipad but what you're just telling is like it just knowledge is just something that, can be learned online but, is those these morals and responsibilities stuffs that


are through everyday interactive stuff, that can be can be picked up lah like it's actually what the school is trying to teach you something like that


(ppc) (ppc)


(mmhmm) (mmhmm) but I would say that, that Ipad still doesn't bring you like, the the moral values that you want to instill in your child's you see, that Ipad still don't


okay, eh #hui wen# my my my recording broke you know, so accidentally click on ya accidentally click on the submit


handphone, it's loading now , yes


ya is still is still running laptop haven't touch the laptop, ya, get back to your point


I do I do I I do actually ask them like eh, with kindle and you know all these online book reading apps like why do you still read books so they felt that it's still very weird for them to be reading


a a a book out of, an app, that's what I got from them lah I I actually ask them like eh why do you still bring this book around it's so big and then you know it's so big and then takes up your space, rather than you can just buy it online and then you just read it and then you just store it and then can just buy the next book they feel that okay they feel that


reading book is still like a very, , classical thing lah I would say like use the word classical like they feel that reading books still goes down to the basic of like actually buying the built buying the book, flipping the pages and then having the smell of the paper you know


oh definitely that that I agree that, I would rather watch the movie than read the book but however harry potter started with the books which the readers didn't know that it will be made to a movie you see but I do have friends that after watching the movie


they still got the books and they went to read the books, which they say that it was more, fulfilling and more intensifying, from from the books itself which I don't understand how lah because I don't understand like, there isn't any visual in the book's itself so how is it more like interesting in the book itself


ya [loh] so I I believe it's very subjective lah let's say, the book has no place in modern society if we were talk about like , newspapers itself I feel that newspapers definitely has no place in modern society because is just a short read up of


a headline and stuff that we can do it online, rather than holding a newspaper around you know it gives you the prints and stuff, ya but most newspapers are made from recycled materials also so like


you see everybody will have their own points to to to, to, debate also like the older, the older mans will be like oh, I used to be reading this for over ten over years how can I not buy the newspaper is like a habit to them, to be still reading buying the newspaper subscribing to it and having it send to their house so they will feel that oh


they are very much like, appreciated by the SPH itself like oh they still have this service for me you know I'm still paying for my premium you know I'm a I'm a premium member of SPH they send me the newspaper every seven AM in the morning


no I mean you can you can you can stop it by closing the app itself what, it just feeds you as per what it's doing what it's doing it's job of providing the news


ya ya ya I I agree to what you say so I I believe it it is still, it is still up to different individual, to accept like whether, the the the app, or the TV or the book is more comfortable for them because we we still would we do still have the older society that is still like


I have to watch ten PM news, I have to watch nine thirty news I have to on the TV at this time watch the news okay then after that ending with the weather forecast is like a habit to them already that they cannot miss, if you were to pass uh, something like that like they still


(ppc)


, (ppc), ya mean for some people it's about spending the money and then getting something


like some people don't feel comfortable paying like, twenty dollars for a Ebook but they would rather spend like, twenty dollars buying a physical book, that kind of thing they feel that eh, I actually buying something instead of like an online online Ebook


then they will also like appreciate the book more like oh the you look at the cover it so, is a hardcover !wah! you know they will appreciate the book more I mean some people lah, so is very subjective topic that, that even authors now they still sometimes come up with both the physical books and ebooks


they can't just do one, (ppc), they still do the print, (ppc)


I mean like like how, how the readers always you know like have this very popular author they will bring the physical book down for their signature for their autograph but how do you do it with a Ebook, you you can understand what I mean


how you do it with the Ebook it it it just is not the same feeling anymore like


that's a binary thing, , uh so is I feel that this is a very subjective, topic also depending on your age group what your cultural belief, like what do you feel if you're more high tech more modern you'll definitely feel that eh I don't need all these physical things that are you know


taking up space in my house, and we are not environmental friendly but for those people who are, who still exist in the world that, who did exist in the world that technology isn't so advance right they will definitely feel that oh, I'm so used to reading it from a book already I still want to feel the pages


like I still can meet this person like ask them for their autographs that kind of thing I mean if you buy a Ebook then what do you expect the author will give you a E-signature definitely man he will just oh, I will just send you my signature through through the e-signature you know like what we were doing to to to the contracts and stuff I mean do you actually feel the


feel the love or feel the, feel the touch of the sincerity from the person itself, and we do it through ebooks and stuff, technology I feel that makes everybody everything easier but it also brings down the


part one debate topic one


oh okay so our first uh topic will be consider the view that spoken language is more important than the written form which , I kind I agree because uh spoken language carry tones emotions and better


uh connections with the audience, I mean throughs, uh do you uh so the opposition to you uh you you disagree right, err so why why do you disagree


okay back to me I understand that the utility functions of written language is important in terms of, err laws err traffic, even information kiosk but


in the modern world now err all the information can and also be, converted into vocal instructions, of course we are not talking about err just like traffic lights those are very err


typical and stereotype forms of written uh instructions, but how about like uh if you go to the shopping malls and you get the information kiosk like from err a monitor and it actually interacts with you


via AI so that, can be also much more interesting than , written form instant in in the sense that because it actually interacts with you more than just, blandly looking for a whole wall of uh information that's available there so


why I say it's more importance even in shopping malls and uh public places there are information counters that are still manned by people humans I mean that is actually, I would say I feel it's definitely more helpful than just reading a board


that gives uh some information


okay I personally feel why spoken language is different more important because in terms of uh people to people in the course of history, you get, very good speakers and let's example like politicians that have charismatic and people who engages the the the audience and hence


bring forth a more, err positive reaction and a feeling from the audience be it like our founding father #lee kuan yew#, when he speaks everybody listens it engages with, the audience it actually encourages


err, and there has a better understanding because err, spoken language it carry tones and emotions which is not available in a written language and it's just one of the differences that


why they are so uh in modern world now is used uh for like, very different , utilities or functions


yes because , okay so to to to further , uh, to assist on, why why I support it so strongly there are people even in the modern world that is illiterate that can't read


so, for that group of special people, what they are what they only have is they're only tool of survival their mouth communication spoken language that's all so how do you how do you help these people who can't read and write uh can can't read and write but only can speak their language


uh yes I of course I see the importance of written form as in err a a very direct way of passing knowledge from history and from err all the various err, subjects let's say you know science I mean all these things are are there for our reference


, but is usually, a window to, history and the pass you know instead of err but I will say in terms of now modern days uh our application of , spoken language is way more uh diverse and vast


than written language just take a look at our handphone everything can be actually voice operated on our handphone and, how come, , so why would why would err so so there's a very big trend moving towards voice activation in terms or even smart cars in driving you know and GPS


so, it sums up my point so what what do you think uh is is there any more place for written language, uh besides , vessels to or uh ways to bring uh knowledge from the past and history


yeah I mean I understand like it it eh it serves as a basic entry level to even using uh to modernisation but of course there's a basic requirement given that everybody's given an education now, so err we just have to move on from there so


who is so what are the more, more obvious benefits of the written language uh for, that you think will be, that will actually be better than being spoken


so what so what are the very obvious , benefits of the written language that cannot be uh that is definitely


much better than the spoken language


okay so I understand the emotions part where you were uh the reference but okay so in terms of, uh, romance and courtship do you think, speaking


words of like context of courtship is is is better in speech or in written form, for me I personally think speaking to someone about confession of feelings, is definitely better than, you know writing a letter do you agree on that


as in you'll be thinking like , what you mean it's like uh it's definitely more personnel, it has it has more is able to, err inside more emotional and


emotion and maybe err it maybe if you want to say in terms of poetry, is better than a love declaration in vocal form, is that what you trying to


support


but I I kind of disagree because the letter thing is just a form of effort that it shows sincerity but because it requires time and execution but how come there're, okay in in in in a in a couple relationship girls still demand to be


you know to be told I love you like you know I miss you goodnight, or you know it it definitely feels very different from sending a I love you and a uh good night text you know than actually you know on the through the phone call


conversing through hearing your voice say the actual words


so it goes back to a point where you all usually business transaction comes from verbal conversation then agreements, and, after drafted into written form based on what is the context of the meeting and the conclusion, am I correct in terms of laws is it is the same thing people uh in terms of like parliament when they want to put in a new bill it actually comes from uh hours of the discussion


conversation and debates, to actually weigh the pros and cons to be actually, put down into written form as a bill to be passed through so I guess , I still stand my point


yes I I'm not saying that written form, should not exist I just say it coexist together because it it forms an a black and white and the support of our legal system or whatever, agreement between uh one party to another party but what I mean is uh spoken language uh in certain cases


in especially in the eyes of the law is still supported, in the law and can be submitted as evidence but in terms of business wise why do we need, , black and white documents and uh proposals because that is just a reminder of what is actually err came to a agreement in the court in the meeting to to let everybody uh understand


what actually happen so it's just a form of record, and that record and derived from, a spoken conversation spoken language so uh maybe to sum up my point I think


both, okay to still back to the that we personally feel which one is more important is uh still to to be to be argued but, down to how the society works is still we still need both spoken and written form do you agree because it serves different functions in our modern society


I I I I half agree because there're still flaws to the spoken language because if uh due to everyone, tonal thing uh tonal, pronunciation they may there might be still some err inaccuracy and misunderstanding that occurs


so, err so I guess it go down to the listener to to, actually interpret whether a sentence can be sarcastic, or


part two debate topic two, okay it's me again , so the next err topic will be is there


value in preserving minority languages in the world, for err, for me as a proposition definitely yes, to why, because every err languages especially minority uh it actually preserves


their academic ethnic and aesthetic uh values, so , why why do I say that because err, how do you tell someone is of a specific ethnic ethnic group


if you, uh upon hearing his err his dialect or minority language is actually tied down to his uh their geographic location so be it like we if we hear


let's say, portuguese it can be from a very wide area but at least , you will, more or less understand where they are coming from


no my point is uh it actually gives a better identity, and of course further on a better understanding of err their history and culture I I'll think of more on the uh academic value like some culture are actually


okay let's say french people what do you first think about uh when people speak french french people are you will think the general uh impression is, they're, very uh poetic


they're very romantic, as a as a as a as a form of language and , it actually brings brings down to to to, forms of literature and is is is a very important of part of err mankind


history and literature culture, so, this is why I think , we should, and we ought to preserve minority I mean may french might not be a minority language but uh it actually


that and that is what we should do, regardless of the course


yes yes I understand like but you misunderstand my point in the sense that of course when it comes to work like it's better to have one common language or two maybe like just chinese and english so that actually facilitates uh everything better but sometimes this will let's just talk about


society, and socialism, but this actually will actually, be a hazy to, , let people mingle more out of their comfort zone out of their culture just like what singapore has why singapore is so successful because we have a multiracial society and is made out of


so many races and out of all the different languages we speak and everything still seems to work fine but , what's interesting is that we have all this, vast difference in culture and yet


, we all speak different native language but yet we are able to you know coexist very well in harmony in singapore , so I feel we should keep


what uh all the, our own we should preserve our own uh mother tongue, and but then of course we do not forget that , in this modern world is err is still very essential especially for in in terms of work and the work environment that we speak a common language or a very widely used language


so what but then , what what you say I understand because you cannot be speaking your mother tongue, in your workplace but , I would say the exception of


working environment but in terms of cultural and uh literature don't you see the importance of just minority language even in terms of uh some, uh minority language are actually very gifted in uh music


like musical uh there's a lot of musical aesthetic values on it, ya so , so err so so my point is


I think the working environment thing is is not quite a valid, uh argument to to to what I'm why I'm supporting the, preserve it preservation on minority languages, but do you have a a stronger point to, backup like you know


so so okay let's say in your family do you think you have uh a better, connection if you speak to your elderly in your native dialect than english or some other more general language that's more widely use


I, because I I'm sure our mother tongue there are always somes expressions that, cannot be translated to other language or it can be very inaccurate


I would say in terms of minority language let's say, let's say, in this current world let's say let's fast forward two three hundred years later, , nobody actually speaks anymore uh minority language is totally lost so what we have is maybe like just ten major language the usual like chinese english spanish uh you know french or whatever the big ethnic


groups so , so let's look look in the future where if all this loss of language , will will we be, it will be a huge cultural loss also let's say uh in terms of, let's say our chinese


in chinese we have cantonese we have hainanese we have uh hokkien and we have so many uh like uh different ethnic groups and all of them carry their own traditions, and identity in terms of let's say rituals uh marriage rituals are all different too and with the loss of the minority language all these things are


destined to go as well with the language


I I think in terms of what you were saying like lets say lets define just like, err thailand you were saying right everybody uses the same err, system for reading and writing but everybody doesn't use the sames spoken system as in they have their local dialect so is like a spin off from the central thai language


that you were say so I guess, so you what I mean is uh so this is a very successful preservation of of a language ah because uh our and in terms of minority language because everybody's still understand everybody in the village so


I think the main err, value of why we should preserving is those that are not being able to read and write those like dialect like uh, but is still so commonly use, I understand


I understand the the the the traditional way of , transferring knowledge of a minority language is within the household if the elderly doesn't use it you lose it, to uh especially with the descendants so


how , but, were that to be said so err is, just like how the world go so everyday we are losing something uh to the world you know so , so I feel for on the on the academic side all this like professors or linguists


what they should do is to to to try to preserve as much of what we can or were and what is left of all the uh all the, culture as uh regarding the minority languages because once it's gone like you say and nobody speaks it it's lost forever just like uh as extinct animal


yeah that's precisely my point in the sense that if you know someone uh, who speaks uh that specific minority language it definitely gives you a better understanding of what is his


values and backgrounds right like today if you speak to, like, cantonese what do you think and you you you would, immediately think that they have a very


, they have they are very developed in the culinary uh cruise inside because they have and they are good with err you know certain dishes so this actually is their uh ethnic,


ethnic characteristic of them like, so this is why I feel like, , minority language it actually opens, a, a door a window, to better let us understand each other better because today let's just say


everybody just uh speaks only like the few main languages you'll never you will never really understand how , maybe like, it actually gives you more insight into how he's being brought up and maybe the family


err background cause usually we'll think that , okay today you if you only speak chinese at home we will think that, , the more typical or the stereotype chinese impression is like you know


every everyday you have dinner at home uh with the family and you have to help out with household chores uh it uh like these are very, typical chinese value instilled in our typical uh chinese household right like uh the the the kids must always be respectful to their parents and all these things so


once you understand their uh what minority language what is their mother tongue then you will definitely have a better understanding of their culture and their identity, just like what we think of caucasians uh they are usually more open minded they raise their kids very different from asian kids


all these, understanding so this is my uh, uh is my conclusion


, part three debate topic three


okay so topic three uh debate will be the book has no place in, modern society, as a, person who is very into technology and modern stuff


I do, think so that the book has, almost very little place in modern society due to internet smartphones and all this because, when, we need information now is just


like what we say a click away or a search away so why do we still, need, to have books anymore or in fact I mean , everything is can be run without books


I mean I understand uh what you trying to say like everything actually started from books, since, the first form of civilization, right but I will just say, to be fair in a in a modern world uh books


yes might, be consider still necessary in certain aspects but is being , vastly takeover by technology like let's say books if you talking about really physical books they are heavy


they are, uh made from paper they are not so environmental friendly and let's say let's say technology now I have a Kindle on hand I can have one hundred books in a in a tablet and the phones can be adjusted is big and nice and doesn't


doesn't you know doesn't affect, me err, uh that's why affect my eyesight because you know is is more on the friendlier side with all the, technology so isn't it so much better I can travel around with a kindle and I have like a thousand hundred or thousand or even more than that books knowledge in just one tablet


better than, what the traditional has


what you mean is more on a stereotype, uh, stereotype thinking of, intelligence must come from books but look at what the frontier of the technology now is being run on computers laptops and technology itself you know like they are the one that is making the frontiers of technology here you know mankind I mean I think the only


the , only for a good form of books are only, in are the turn are in the way of preservation of arts and culture, is is that what you trying to say


the spellings


I totally understand your point of view like in terms of education it has to go down, back to the basic of book writing because education is a very, is a very special case because we have to teach our our younger generations what is the actual


uh stuff like how do you write it on the book uh all this thing to actually uh but that is because building the foundation but look at what is the modern application uh of, of a books in terms of workplace and all these like


, currently we are going through a COVID pandemic do you think is better that we, are we are using still like log books to write in to check in and check out like what we did in army and that would actually


doesn't prevent any more cross contamination as opposed to, technology has to offer okay everything is done on the smartphone everything, okay secondly do you think, cashiering are still done with books


and accountings are done on books anymore, I mean yes in certain cases depends on industry but hardly the case


I kind of beg to differ that in a sense that even the, what why why uh are modern schools are incorporating a tablets or Ipad, into their studies is not to entirely


err taking over or getting rid of the books there are still uh writing that has to be done on physical book yes but then remember that, err, the curriculum nowadays is so there's so many curriculums so what with


a Ipad okay let's say everyday, I have a, five to six subject I have to bring ten books and one Ipad can can get rid of at least half the amount of books and isn't that a win win situation for the kid who has to carry a very heavy bag ten books opposing as opposed to maybe two to three books uh two to three writing books and one Ipad


so I I guess, that is already a win, win situation secondly, one ipad can cover all the subjects cause it can be done with e-curriculum,


but they still have responsibility to bring whatever they need to you know like uh doesn't matter like it has to be ten books or four books but if you are is a responsible to bring all of the above then, it it it it it it doesn't have to be entirely books what if you bring all your books but you don't bring your writing materials like pencil box


is is is is is still the same same, same same , same thing as not as forgetting something you know, err so


so, so , so you in this modern society do you do you still have friends that actually read books or, they actually, uh, love the appeal of books


I I I understand but err let's, say in the, instances of, and uh all know all these old novels they are actually being , made into movies and, nowadays people would rather watch a movie than read a book right like let's say harry porter would you rather read the book or would you rather watch the movie


which is


and is a is a very daily thing is a waste of uh resources right


I guess err having the physical thing definitely has advantages like , if you were to say okay, our tablet it needs battery, it is still can malfunction it have issues software issues


the only thing I see about being as advantage of having a physical book or let's say you say newspaper is that, err, you can go at your own pace you know, so you can read and unlike


what the like, listening to the news it's it will feed, you and feed you and feed you whether you you and you you you can't really like say okay stop right, (ppc)


no I mean I mean in terms of in terms of like uh a video or uh the news broadcast it doesn't stop for you, unlike a a book right like book you can do it at your own pace or newspaper you can take one two hours to read it but then turn if you look at the daily news it has to be done in thirty minutes you whether you understand or not it's


that's it


ya that's why the the the the book has uh


the book has has still some, appeal to uh certain people but with the modern technology taking over the , the late the leisure purpose of books away like uh being make into movies being uh make into video clips or even err being broadcast you know


it's it's it's much more easy to absorb, the than than than holding than getting a book itself and uh with the technology now is so easy to access uh any information that used to be coming from books on the internet, then also


spending the money to go buy a book and waiting for it to come


but isn't that the case, isn't that case where in terms of ebooks that is usually cheaper than the physical books, because like, the physical took is like, err a a a like a souvenir thing you know it's like a


a a collectible


well I I I think ebook will just serve the function of, err a mode of delivery, of information I think that's all but in terms of sentimental value or, uh it had it has almost nothing because it is generated from a


no is a is a virtual thing, you know ya it's a finery thing okay okay


okay


part one debate topic one, are we suppose to plan


ya


I'm standing on the , opposition on side that technology creates more problem than benefits for society so basically I'm arguing that uh technology creates more benefits than problems for society firstly I do not neglect


the point that technology does bring about problems but I believe that there are more benefits than problems brought by technology in the society, so based on, a research online one thousand one thousand one hundred and fifty experts responding to a scientific question


responded that forty seven percent of this respondents predict that individual's well-being will be more help than harm by digital life in the next decade while thirty two percent of these people say that their well being will be more harm than help


the remaining twenty one percent predict that there will be not much change in the people's wellbeing compared to now , so, people do agree that there's no turning back end technology is here to stay and will only continue to enhance various aspect of life so in the aspect of customer service for example like the AI bot that you were mentioning previously


, the reason I believe the reason why AI bot exist in customer service helpline work is to allocate people's queries to the right department instead of facing one person and


that person wouldn't know what to do in the end and end up wasting more time to, uh allocate them to the wrong department, similarly having AI bot like apps online, does benefit people for example in changing flights because you can just simply key in your flight number and you can do your respective uh amendments of details so


especially in this trying situation where people have to stay at, home and have no, opportunity to go out and meet others uh the, the luxury of having the emotional connection is


obviously not there because we are not entitled to it now but, having technology does enhance communication between people especially in this time I mean , it's either you have it or you don't have it so if you don't have this app for communication you don't even have a single communication what


more about emotional uh talking so, uh, technology has also proven to be like help lines for people especially the marginalised so for example now immigrants and refugees now have uh


technology to help them to communicate with, their home and also when they need help so smartphones provide lifeline for refugees in particular for example millions are fleeing in syria


so they can connect to home they can call for aid and uh burgeoning communities in their new communities in their new countries as well , and, thus this technology enables people at the margins of society to find help and find each other in ways that would have been more difficult than imperiled areas without technology


ya that's why certain


on the note of cyberbullying if technology is used for cyberbullying we have to look at who is the person doing it so technology in this case is more of a tool that people use rather than


uh the perpetrator itself so technology cannot be responsible for such an act, obviously the person who is doing it making use of this tool should be responsible for it so, technology itself should be isolated


and the fault of cyberbullying cannot be attributed to technology itself that's what I'm trying to say, uh, ya it lies with how people deal with things and , how the person is educated and the background


and whatsoever, so on the point where, people are constantly checking on their phones , what if those people are actually checking up on news on stocks on their work on their emails


life has to progress as what how the society is now we can't, fall back in terms of competitiveness and in technology wise as well because, everything is getting more advanced we can't stay in the stone age forever


so, keeping up with the society is important and that's why technology is so, crucial in helping society to bloom further and, in addition uh technology also creates more uh more engaging environment so you may think that technology is just a distraction but you can actually help to encourage active participation in the classroom


for example right now when we can't meet face to face this is a very good platform for us to debate about topics like that and this is facilitated by technology how we can search for information online is also facilitated by technology so


without technology we probably have to go to the library to look for books and in this situation where we can't look for books we can't have points to talk about right now, so technology in, this kind of setting does help uh dusten traditional dwell top dwell subjects into interactive and fun activities and also broaden our perspective in many other views


so, on the aspect of what you mentioned about how uh technology has enable or, e-commerce, digital revolutionization


has also help with uh business and consumer and personal logistic and also open up the world or too many different opportunities so for example like what you mentioned about food delivery or like waiting for a cab, all that


or is waiting really good as what people say time is money and people have limited time do we spend all our time on waiting or isn't it good that technology help us to reduce the time that we have to wait it's not like we don't have to wait for like a tree five minutes and


but it does help us to reduce our waiting time to help us do more productive and more uh important things that we have to do such as it reduce your waiting time so that you can sleep more at home as sleeping is important for health


so, that's a crucial point to note, and also, patients can be trained by many other things such as , I don't know you can saw too


train your patients that kind of thing so is not only it can't be blamed based on technology alone that's what I feel


part two of debate topic two


, debating on scientific research should be constrained by ethical concern so there are number of ethical principles that should be taken into account to perform uh research so at a core this article principal stress on the need to do good


do no harm and in practice this ethical principles mean that means that the researcher need to obtain an informed consent , from potential research participants minimize risk of harm to to participants and protect the uh confidentiality of the participants and also avoid using deceptive practices and give participants the right to redraw from the research


so these are the main these are the five main principles of our research ethics, so, on the study of stem cells there has despite the presence of


ethics being put in place since nineteen eighty nine there has been ten breakthroughs in stem cells research, major breakthroughs so the first was the mouse knockout second was embryonic stem cells next in two thousand and one uh making beating heart cells


two thousand and two making new heart muscles two thousand and three cardiac stem cells, and so many others up to date, and in twenty sixteen the latest one new blood has been found, so on a aspect of whether ethical concerns are risk uh restraining uh stem cells research


since there are alternative found which is reprogrammed themselves even though there are not much uh even though the benefits are not entirely the same as embryonic stem cells but, if you like what you mention where embryonic stem cells come from it comes from embryo so what if you are the parent


of these embryos, in the case that your embryo, did not survive would you accept, researchers to take your the embryo the stem cells from it and to perform research on it I believe there will be some form of emotional attachment to it which which is why ethics is in place to protect individuals like this who are more


who are more, vulnerable to situations like that, finding new cures for diseases and having better understanding evolution of life is like what you say is limited by ethics but that's not the


only way to find new cures for diseases and to understand evolution, so, in my aspect I do feel that ethics promote the aim of research such as knowledge and truth and avoidance of error


and also prevent fabricating and falsifying data uh is promoted by ethics because of , many uh many ethical aspect of protecting the rights of authors and to uh protect the genuinity of research itself


so ethical norms in research include the guidelines for authorship copyrights and patenting policies data sharing policies and confidentiality rules in peers reviews also to protect the intellectual property interests while encouraging collaboration so


ethics is needed just in case people do some people go out of line to do something that they are not supposed to do, ethical norms also help to ensure that researchers can be held accountable to the public such as ensuring a standardized expectation or research misconduct conflict of interests and human subjects protection


this will also include animal care use so many, animal activists would stand up against this and said that it's not right to use animal it's not right to do animal testing but instead of animal would you rather do it on human beings instead


I don't think that is, even if that's if testing of animal is not ethical I think testing on humans even worse, if you are going to consider it that way so, drugs that are tested on animals are being boycotted against many times but instead of testing on animals testing on


another alternative is test on cells but are these tests, reliable, it may not be and hence , animal testing, is regulated by ethical norms and ethical regulations to help ensure the


reliability of the results, ya


, , yeah , there are five different I mean there are four faces of each clinical trial for a job to be put in place


into the market, and, all the arguments that you put, put off just now previously it's all based on a assumption that the drug is beneficial a human


so in the other aspect what if the research drug, is not, efficient or like not effective or can even harm human beings but if we give more leeway in this article regulation and such a drug


can squirm its way through into the market, for people to use and more lives are taken because of that it's not like this haven't happened before their what there's one drug I forgot what's the name but it contains or a contain one compound that was modified


uh it was a modified, compound of a, a toxin and must not scream during the clinical phase, and was then put up in the market, and because people take it


uh they suffered from many problems after that, another drug is the the drug that was given to, people I mean pregnant woman's for uh to help with morning sickness and they end up having babies born with deformities I believe you do know about that research and because there was not enough there was no substantial evidence showing that


showing the toxicity of the drug which then led to its consequences that was over spilt in the market in the end and was then record, even though the drug can be record to save many other lives but what about those babies that were born after that they can't live past ten years


who is going to be responsible for those lives ethical norms are put in place to prevent such a matter from happening the prevent such drop from being from preventing people from being exposed to such a drug


and that's why ethical norms norms is important it also proves the reliability of the drug yeah


okay, part three debate topic three


speaking, uh, on the point that marijuana should be legalized so


from your points, about economy, should the government, legalize marijuana because of the economic benefits then I would say that the government is putting the economic benefits of a country before the people's health and that government should not exist


about the form of defiance that you are talking about about how , teenagers opt for marijuana as a form of defiance, because it is legalise let me raise an example of how other staff that is not legalized but still


cost an addiction as well for example people are addicted to, sugary drinks as well it's not cold but people still get addicted to it, so, for example like bubble tea why are some people so into bubble tea even though is not cool is not is not illegal as well my point is


people can choose I mean the legalization does not contribute to the coolness effect like what you are trying to say, people can choose, if you legalize marijuana people will have the freedom to go for it but then


what about the addiction that comes together with it so legalizing marijuana will only increase the addiction towards it especially because it's such uh addictive drug