The Debate: A Review

It's been a long time since I reviewed anything, whether a book or a movie. But having watched The Debate tonight, I was rather moved to write one. Now this is not going to be a review about substance, because I'm not sure I really understood what little substance there was. This is really going to be a review of the debaters, rather than the debate.

First of all, in many ways they were well matched, Anwar and Shabery. They're both guys, one smooth-skinned and one who used to be smooth-skinned. (OKlah, Anwar's been having some troubles lately so very understandable that he looked a bit worse for wear.) They're of the same height and both have that air of the natty dresser, even if someone must have decided that ties are not de rigeur tonight, perhaps to make it seem more casual.

I thought Anwar started off shakily but soon warmed up. While Shabery started off smooth and then got shaky. Both had facts to throw at the other but you could see who was the more experienced politician and who knows how to appeal to people. After a while, Shabery started to look, well, shifty. I wound up being more fascinated by the body language of these two rather than actually listening to what they said.

Not that there was much to what they said. I didn't find either very convincing. But people are often convinced by demeanour, by what looks like sincerity and conviction. They look at what expressions you pull your face into and whether they are deliberate or not. Both debaters smile and neither smile is the sort that warms the cockles of your heart. But Shabery's bottom lip has an unnerving wobbliness that betrays....what, nervousness?

The audience naturally comprised supporters of both sides but they were very subdued, compared to the usual raucousness you'd expect from devotees. They clapped when their respective heroes made a point they liked (though each time they sounded as if they were cue'd). The curious thing was that Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah seemed disinclined to applaud her husband at all. (I wish I knew which one was Shabery's wife. All the women in the audience seemed to be Anwar fans except maybe Halimah Sadique.)

I rather liked the format of the debate though where each had a chance to say their bit,then answered questions put to them by the moderator Datuk Johan Jaafar, then handpicked questioners from both sides. Then they got to ask each other questions! But I suppose it's in the nature of politicians to be unable to ask a question without preceding it with a speech, nor to answer anything directly or to stick to the point. But by wandering into the realm of the personal, I think Shabery lost major points.

Anyway, all in all I think these debates are a good thing. Let's have more match-ups. How about Nik Aziz against Zahid Hamidi? Yen Yen against Shahrizat? Azalina against Rafidah? Nazri against Guan Eng? Harussani against Asri? Yummy, makes for great TV!