KUALA LUMPUR – It’s a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation that opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is in as he was quizzed after accepting the debate challenge from long-time political foe Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In a video posted on his Twitter account this afternoon, Anwar acknowledged that netizens have been asking why he took up Najib’s challenge in what is being described as one of the country’s highest profile debates in history.
Anwar reminded the public that he was the one who requested for a debate with Najib many years ago, when the latter was the then deputy prime minister and later, the prime minister.
“And in 2008, it was Datuk (Seri) Ahmad Shabery Cheek who represented (the government) in the debate on fuel price.
“Now, if I reject (the challenge), people will say that I’m a coward. Now that I have accepted it, people are saying I’m glorifying Najib.
“So, what should I do?” he said in the 40-second video, following which he urged the public to tune in to the debate tomorrow night.
The debate between Anwar and Najib will be taking place tomorrow at 9pm at the Malaysian Tourism Centre complex here.
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.
Meanwhile, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil and Selangor Barisan Nasional information chief Isham Jalil 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 11, 2022
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