Najib backs out of debate: What a wasted opportunity!

Written by Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle

Pressure is mounting on Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to have an open debate with Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim. Meanwhile, Umno politicians have been queuing up to take Najib’s place and Anwar has quite rightly avoided them. Anwar would seem like a class bully if he were to take on these inexperienced debaters.

However, Najib has finally said that he would not be drawn into the debate because he ‘wants an outcome’.

He said, “If we want to have a debate, there must be an outcome. I don't see any outcome (in this debate challenge).”

Could the PM have taken this cautious route of avoiding the debate, because his main advisor is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bangladesh? One can understand that in a loving relationship, these decisions cannot be made alone.

The election debate arose when Anwar challenged Najib to an open discussion next week over his comments that Pakatan Rakyat’s goals could lead the nation to bankruptcy.

At the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) convention last month, it unveiled its ‘10-point, 100-day reform plan’ and said that if it were to form the next federal government, it would revamp critical institutions like the police, Election Commission, the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and reward teachers with additional money.

Unlike PR, BN did not reveal any major reforms during its recent convention. It only managed a seven point charter based on Najib’s four political diseases ‘inertia, delusion, amnesia and arrogance.’

Najib gave another reason for refusing to take up Anwar’s debating challenge.

He said, “What is important is the public's opinion and their evaluation.”

He also said that both BN and PR should present their respective economic policies for the people to evaluate and decide for themselves.

Unfortunately, it is Najib who is out of touch with the electorate. When Najib refused to have the debate, the public made their minds up about him.

His refusal will be seen as an act of cowardice.

More to the point, why has Najib squandered this opportunity to prove to the rakyat that he is the more skilful orator?

Moreover, he could have used this debate to pick over Anwar’s ‘100-day reform plan’ piece by piece and show how, in his opinion it will lead the nation to bankruptcy.

Perhaps, in this debate, he could also unveil the BN ‘101-day reform package’ and demonstrate its superiority over Pakatan’s ‘100-day reform plan’.