ENGLISH DEBATE : Chinese New Year Celebration

1. Greetings (kata-kata aluan)

Assalamualaikumand very Good morning/afternoon/evening  to our beloved lecturer and all my friends, i’m Wan Zainuddin bin Wan Nawang. The topic for our debate is Celebration of Multiracial festivals, Religious Key National Security. So I will be talking to you  about the celebration of Happy Chinese New Year.  Kong Hei Fatt Choy. Gong Xi Fa Cai. Happy Chinese New Year or the palm over fist gesture.

2. Introduction about Chinese New Year. (pengenalan tentang Tahun Baru Cina 10 fakta )

Firstly i want to tell about 10 Facts You Should Know about Chinese New Year.

Ø  The festival date changes every year.

This is because it follows the lunar calendar, based on the movement of the moon. Usually, it falls on a day between mid-January and mid-February. In 2020, Chinese New Year falls on January 25.

Ø  It is also called Spring Festival.

The festival usually falls after the solar term, Beginning of Spring (Li Chun), and is a festival in the spring, hence the name.

Ø 
Chinese New Year starts a new animal’s zodiac year.

In China, each lunar cycle has 60 years and 12 years is regarded as a small cycle. Each of the 12 years is defined by an animal sign: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 2020 is the Year of the Rat and 2021 is the Year of the Ox.

Ø  The celebration lasts for 15 days till Lantern Festival.

The peak time of the entire celebration is on Chinese New Year's Eve and the first day of the lunar new year. The 15th day is called Lantern Festival, marking the end of the celebration.

Ø  One sixth of the world’s people celebrate it.

It is not only celebrated in Mainland China, but also observed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and some other Asian countries as well as Chinatowns around the world. In recent years, the celebrations in New York, London, Vancouver, Sydney and other overseas cities have spread out of Chinatowns. Chinese New Year has become one of the world’s most celebrated festivals.

Ø  It is the longest public holiday and the whole country is on the move.

Most employees have 7-12 days off the work, and students have one month winter vacation. The 2020 Chinese New Year holiday is from January 24th to 30th. No matter where they are, people try their best to return home for a family reunion, like westerners attempting to spend Christmas with their families. Meanwhile, some families travel together during the holiday. This makes the world’s largest annual migration, known as the Spring Festival Travel Rush. The total trips made by plane, train, bus and ship can reach nearly 3 billion.

Ø  Reunion dinner is a ritual.

The reunion dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve is a big feast to commemorate the past year. This is the most important time to be with families. After the reunion dinner, families sit together to watch the CCTV New Year's Gala while chatting. As the most watched TV program, the gala collects various well-selected performances, targeting audiences of different generations.

Ø  Then comes the annual largest usage of fireworks on the planet.

Fireworks are an indispensable part of the celebration to liven up the air of Spring Festival. All families set off fireworks to celebrate the festival. The biggest firework show is on Lunar New Year's Eve.

Ø  The celebration decorations are mostly in red.

Houses are decorated with red Spring Festival couplets, red lanterns, and red paper cuttings; city streets are lit up by red lanterns; and numerous people are dressed in red. This is because red in Chinese culture is the symbol of happiness, wealth and prosperity, and can ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. These red decorations are to the festival what Christmas trees are to Christmas.

Guo Nian Hao” is one of the most used greetings.

Ø  This is like the westerners saying “Merry Christmas” to each other on Christmas Day. It means “Happy New Year”. Why is the celebration also called "Guo Nian"? "Nian”is the Chinese word for year. In folk culture, the Spring Festival celebration is also called “Guo Nian” (meaning “passing a year”). In a Chinese New Year story, “Nian” is a fierce and cruel monster which eats livestock and kids, but it is scared of red color and cracker sound. Therefore, people use red decorations and fireworks to drive away “Nian”.

3. Arguments of Debate (Isi Debat)

Why Chinese New Year celebration in Malaysia is the key to our National Security?

Now to my first point :

1. CNY celebration will reunite us within of Political ideology.

This is because :

Which ever way you choose to greet Malaysians who celebrate the Spring Festival (the Lunar New Year), it is another occasion for the people of this nation to set aside their differences and celebrate the festival together.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his Chinese New Year message (2019) said Malaysians were lucky to be able to experience the celebrations of different cultures and ethnic groups, calling on the people not to be influenced by those threatening the country’s peace. He also wanted Malaysians to pledge to defend the stability, harmony and peace of their beloved nation.

MCA also organized open house. The party has also extended invitations to the Prime Minister and all other Cabinet members, as well as politicians from both sides of the divide. “Chinese New Year is a festive season which we should celebrate with all regardless of race and political ideology. “This is why we are opening our event to all,” said MCA secretary-general Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

Now to my second point

2. . CNY celebration will reunite us regardless of race in Malaysia.

This is because :

Malaysian Chinese New Year open house celebrations are a multi-cultural affair. Malaysia is a cultural hive of tradition, ancient customs and a blend of ethnicities that ensures a diverse and multi-cultural life. Chinese New Year is one such time when all Malaysians come together to celebrate the nation’s Chinese roots and of course the first day of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which this year honours the year of the Monkey. Chinese New Year is perhaps one the biggest and most important annual holidays in Malaysia and the world, highlighted by family gatherings, parades, traditional dancing dragons and lions, fireworks displays, decorations and amazing food. By far the best part of Chinese New Year celebrations in Malaysia are the numerous open house parties that take place around the country. Regardless of race and religion, family and friends are invited to indulge in various activities making for a truly colourful affair.

My third and final point

3. Ang Pow giving is  sharing culture to all Malaysians

This is because :

One of the most popular traditions of Chinese New Year is the giving and receiving of small red parcels containing money, called ang pow. In Malaysia, the giving of ang pow has cut across cultural lines and is no longer restricted to Chinese locals. So much so, Malays and Indians have adopted the idea and have used it for their own cultural celebrations, namely Syawal and Deepavali. The red colour of the envelope symbolises good luck and is believed to ward off evil spirits. Ang pow is typically given by married couples to unmarried people, creating a lot of tension of newlyweds to uphold the tradition.

4. Ending (Rumusan Debat)

So Mr/Madam Chairman, distinguished guests, teachers and students, in conclusion i am really agree the celebration of Chinese New Year to all Malaysian will strength our unity and close up our relationship.  I believe the Celebration of Multiracial festivals and Religious Key such as Chine New Year in our counrty will lead us National Security. Thank You for listen.