Singaporean who debated Dr Mahathir in Oxford finds fame

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 23 Jan 2019 8:25AM · 10 Comments

Darrion Mohan says he was keen to get Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's views on Malaysia-Singapore ties when the latter addressed the famous Oxford Union. – Facebook pic, January 23, 2019.

SINGAPOREAN Darrion Mohan, who engaged in a debate with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the University of Oxford, has found himself a celebrity of sorts as his countrymen hail his defence of the island state in two ongoing disputes between Malaysia and Singapore.

The 22-year-old second-year history and politics undergraduate had a robust six-minute exchange with Dr Mahathir last Friday at the Oxford Union, a well-known debating society.

The video of his debate, which he uploaded on Facebook, has garnered more than 7,500 likes, about 5,700 shares and 1,400 comments. The comments were mostly supportive.

“When leaders speak at the union, there has always been a strong tradition of them being confronted with tough questions and challenged robustly,” Darrion told The Straits Times in an email interview.

Facebook user Ruth Tay said: “I do not know you personally but I think you were outstanding! You’ve expressed the views of the majority of Singaporeans!!!”

Darrion brought up the issue of Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian’s visit to a Malaysian vessel in disputed waters, which Singapore claims to be its own, asking Dr Mahathir if he agreed that the act was “pugnacious”, “acts in bad faith”, and “wants to return to the days of confrontational diplomacy and barbed rhetoric”.

He cited issues like the deferment of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project, the airspace dispute over Seletar airport, the proposed “crooked” bridge between Johor Baru and Singapore, calls to revise water supply prices and the maritime dispute as indicators that Dr Mahathir wanted a return to the “fraught relations with Singapore” seen during his first stint as prime minister between 1981 and 2003.

In the interview with The Straits Times, Darrion said he regularly attends talks by speakers at the Oxford Union and often takes part in the question-and-answer sessions and had been looking forward to Dr Mahathir’s visit.

“As the maritime dispute is a current and controversial issue, I thought that it would be interesting to get Dr M’s views,” he said.

“The norm is to ask a single question, with perhaps one or two follow-up questions. A back-and-forth exchange like the one I had with Dr M is rare.”

Malaysia and Singapore are currently embroiled in an airspace and maritime dispute and have pledged to remain committed to resolving the disputes via diplomatic channels. – January 23, 2019.

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Comments

  • Wait till LSL presents himself at this debate?????

    Posted 5 years ago by Robert Phang · Reply

  • Small time syiok

    Posted 5 years ago by K Pop · Reply

  • What was Dr M's respond?

    Posted 5 years ago by Azis Yusoff · Reply

  • Ask your own leaders first..

    Posted 5 years ago by Wen Chiuan Woo · Reply

  • Malaysia too has her own sovereign rights and interests to defend. Tun Dr. Mahathir is doing all those things in the interest of Malaysians. Points raised can be easily rebutted based on these principles. There is nothing great about being able to ask questions.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Why no such debate in the one party state under the Lee dynasty? A first world country with a third world mentality when it comes to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Darrion assumed that he was too smart for Tun Mahathir with his pointed questions bordering on the offensive. He must have been provided with the planted questions by the Singapore Foreign Ministry where he did an internship. Darrion prefixed his question with the word "disputed waters". Obviously, that means neither country accepts the other's extension of their respective port limits. Mahathir was right to say that the Johore MB assumed that it was neutral or international waters. How does that weaken the Malaysian federal government's position?

    Posted 5 years ago by Gerard Lourdesamy · Reply

  • Darrion does not deserve the fame. He has done nothing significant to make the world a better place. Besides he keeps talking about Malaysia encroaching into Singapore waters, something he couldn't prove a thing at all. He just spoke up to be noticed by the Singapore government and to generate some self-promoting publicity. Very disappointing performance from Darrion at the Oxford Union.

    Posted 5 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • Nothing new from home-cred clone from red dot. Good parroting

    Posted 5 years ago by Duh Duh · Reply

  • Darrion seems not to fact check on the questions forwarded to the premier. A student of history and politics should have know better to articulate more flairingly on the thatwould details rather than be bluntly offensive.
    The premier has just too much experience in engaging with a student of the subjects on sovereign politics.

    Posted 5 years ago by Hashim Rahim · Reply

  • Well, let's wait for the final episode. See whether the investigations on 1MDB reveal any "you scratch my back, i scratch yours" deals were made. Some people still don't get
    it. Get your facts right (which is not possible if merely from text books and public news only) before grand standing. Unless the young kid has been coached by someone trying to hit at TDM. The final episode is still far away. Pray for our TDM good health.

    Posted 5 years ago by Concerned Citizen · Reply