Asian Parliamentary is a three-on-three debate format widely used across Southeast and South Asia. It combines structured Points of Information with reply speeches, and is the dominant format in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. This guide covers the complete speech order, POI rules, and how to time an Asian Parliamentary round.
All 8 speeches preloaded, automatic POI signal (minutes 1–6), two-device sync. No signup.
Open Asian Parli timer →| # | Speech | Side | Time | POI Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prime Minister | GOV | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 2 | Leader of Opposition | OPP | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 3 | Deputy Prime Minister | GOV | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 4 | Deputy Leader of Opposition | OPP | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 5 | Government Whip | GOV | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 6 | Opposition Whip | OPP | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 7 | Opposition Reply | OPP | 4:00 | None |
| 8 | Government Reply | GOV | 4:00 | None |
No prep pool. Opposition reply is delivered before Government reply. Reply speeches have no POI window.
POIs are a central feature of Asian Parliamentary debate. During each 7-minute constructive speech, the opposing team may stand and offer a POI between the 1-minute and 6-minute marks. The first and last minute of each speech are protected — no POIs may be offered during this time.
To offer a POI, a debater stands and says "Point of information" or simply "POI." The speaker may accept or decline. Accepted POIs should last no more than 15 seconds. The speaker's clock continues running during an accepted POI. Speakers are generally expected to accept 1-2 POIs per speech.< shows an amber POI badge on the debater display that appears automatically at 1:00 and disappears at 6:00 of each constructive speech, signaling to both the speaker and the bench when POIs may be offered.
Asian Parliamentary is the dominant debate format across Southeast and South Asia. It is used at major international tournaments including Asians, Australasian, and WSDC-affiliated national circuits. Countries with strong Asian Parliamentary traditions include Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India.
The format is also widely used in Australia and New Zealand at the secondary school level, where it is sometimes called Australasian Parliamentary. The speech structure is identical — 7-minute constructives with POI windows and 4-minute reply speeches — with minor variations in tournament rules.
Asian Parliamentary and World Schools are structurally similar — both use three speakers per team and reply speeches. The main differences are speech length, POI window, and motion style.
| Feature | Asian Parliamentary | World Schools (WSDC) |
|---|---|---|
| Speech length | 7 minutes | 8 minutes |
| POI window | Minutes 1–6 | Minutes 1–7 |
| Reply speeches | Yes (4 minutes) | Yes (4 minutes) |
| Motion style | Typically impromptu | Prepared + impromptu |
| Prep time in round | None | None |
See the full comparison: Asian Parliamentary vs World Schools.