KUALA LUMPUR – The highly anticipated debate between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Najib Razak will now take place next Thursday at the Malaysian Tourism Centre (Matic) complex, said the two.
A statement issued by the duo detailed that the debate would still take place on May 12 at 9pm as previously mentioned.
“We would like to announce that both parties have agreed to select the Matic complex in Kuala Lumpur as the location for the debate,” they wrote.
The debate between opposition leader Anwar and former prime minister Najib was previously slated to take place at Universiti Malaya’s Dewan Tunku Canselor, before the university decided against allowing the event to take place within the campus.
Their statement today added that the debate would still be aired on national television channels and social media platforms, which are to be confirmed.
This is despite Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa saying his ministry has yet to receive any proposals seeking to air the debate over official government media platforms.
The impending clash comes following weeks of taunts and online verbal disputes initially between Najib and PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli, centred around the struggles and financial woes of state-owned energy company Sapura Energy Bhd.
The exchange then triggered a challenge by Rafizi to debate the topic publicly, to which Najib agreed on condition Anwar is made part of the debate.
Anwar, who is PKR president and Pakatan Harapan chairman, then accepted the challenge from Najib, with the entire episode happening around the same time Rafizi decided to revive his political career after taking a backseat for a couple of years.
In mid-April, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil and Barisan Nasional information chief Isham Jalil held a joint press conference to announce next Thursday’s date.
They had said the debate would revolve around topics other than Sapura Energy, such as focusing on “the future of Malaysia”, covering aspects of the economy, politics, governance, and the country’s direction.
A third and final segment will be for questions and answers. – The Vibes, May 6, 2022
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