As Asia continues to make headlines, Channel NewsAsia launches another season of its high profile programme, Bridging Asia – the Singapore Debates, where experts and thinkers from diverse fields come together to exchange perspectives on some of the
most pressing issues confronting the region.
This season, Bridging Asia goes “live” to give voice to five topics demanding our attention
today. Some eminent experts include Professor Mark Thompson of the City University of Hong Kong, Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim of Transparency International Malaysia, Mr Xu Sitao of the Economist Group in China and Mr Andrew Bruce of the International Organisation for Migration. (See Annex 1 for details). Each episode will feature two teams comprising two speakers a side. The debate will be moderated by Mr Gaurav Keerthi, former president of the Debate Association Singapore.
The motions for the five debates, starting 2 October, are as follows:
1) Can Asia beat corruption?
2) Will Myanmar be a democracy in a decade?
3) Does Asian migration bring more benefits than drawbacks?
4) China or India – who will be ahead in 2030?
5) Should happiness be the national target?
The moderator and speakers will be joined by three expert adjudicators, and 50 studio audience members made up of esteemed members of society, specialist groups, and interest groups. The adjudicators will “critique” the panellists based on the strength of their arguments and also add pizzazz to the proceedings with their questions. The judges are established personalities in Singapore – Mr Chelva R. Raja SC, Mr Adrian Tan and Ms Eleanor Wong. (See Annex 2 for details).
Bridging Asia is a highly interactive programme for the studio audience and those watching from home. Studio participants can engage the panellists in a Q&A segment and help decide who wins the votes at the end of each session, while non-studio viewers can also ask questions and vote for their teams via the Bridging Asia microsite, and their smartphones.
Executive Producer of the series, Ms Huang Weixian, says, “Since the last inaugural season of Bridging Asia, remarkable moments have emerged like Aung San Suu Kyi winning a parliamentary seat in Myanmar, the Middle East continuing to be on tenterhooks and China moving closer to a historic leadership change. It’s more timely than ever to debate where Asia stands amidst these rapid changes. The interactive nature of the programme and the Judges’ views of the debate will introduce some interesting elements in the exchange of perspectives.”
Bridging Asia – The Singapore Debates (Season II) will be shown on Channel NewsAsia from 2 October at the following times:
Episode 1: Can Asia beat corruption?
Tue, 2 Oct 2012, 8-9pm (SG/HK time)
Episode 2: Will Myanmar be a democracy in a decade?
Tue, 9 Oct 2012, 8-9pm
Episode 3: Does Asian migration bring more benefits than drawbacks?
Tue, 16 Oct 2012, 8-9pm
Episode 4: China or India – who will be ahead in 2030?
Tue, 23 Oct 2012, 8-9pm
Episode 5: Should happiness be the national target?
Tue, 30 Oct 2012, 8-9pm