KUALA BESUT, July 21- Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek has stated his readiness to consider debating with the opposition.
However, he said the challenge must be made according to procedure and the selection of a suitable topic.
Commenting on the debate which was reported to be proposed by PAS election director for the Kuala Perlis by-election Datuk Husam Musa to him, he said it could not be answered just like that, more so when it was made without first informing him.
Speaking to reporters before breaking the fast with residents at the Tok Has Mosque in Kuala Besut, Ahmad Shabery, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kemaman, said the dare could be regarded as unfair to him as he was not clearly informed about it.
“I can and am prepared to consider to debate if the challenge is made acording to procedure whereby my office and myself are informed first.
“The challenge must be stated clearly such as topic, venue, duration and rules to be used. Both parties must agree, in fact the security people must (also) be informed,” he said.
In his challenge, Husam named Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) strategic director Rafizi Ramli as the representative of Pakatan Rakyat while Ahmad Shabery was picked in his capacity as UMNO supreme council member to face off in a debate titled ‘How the people of Terengganu can be rich like UMNO leaders’ scheduled after Tarawih prayers Friday night.
Ahmad Shabery said he was shocked why Rafizi was proposed when the local communities knew the Pandan Member of Parliament did not love Terengganu when he opted to contest in Selangor at the last general election.
“Actually, I only found out about the debate several hours ago, in fact my office did not receive any letter about it.
“When I debated Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, both parties took more than a month to discuss on it. Clearly, this is not the correct method. I have even faced his boss (in a debate) when it was done in the proper manner,” he said.
Ahmad Shabery regarded the challenge as Husam’s cheap gimmick to put him in an unfavourable position as if he was afraid to face the opposition, and hoped his reaction to the challenge would ease the opposition’s ‘post-natal complaints’.
“A night in the month of Ramadan, by right, should be filled with worship not debate,” he said.
“If they insist, is it not okay to give a topic like ‘What is the achievements of PAS when they ruled Terengganu from 1999 to 2004. Will they dare?’, he added.
-BERNAMA
