A misinformed Minister of Information

Information Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim said that the best place for a debate was in Parliament.

Isn’t having a debate more important than the venue? Many people cut their debating teeth at Speakers’ Corner in London’s Hyde Park or Speakers’ Square at Padang Kota Lama, The Esplanade in Penang, or at the Debating Society in school.

Rais, the Information and Communication Minister should be aware of this. So what is he afraid of?

Concerned Malaysians are troubled by the quality of speeches made by our politicians, principally those in BN. Most of their speeches lack substance and would not even motivate a primary school student.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has formally requested Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to take part in an open and public debate.

It was Najib who started the debating controversy when he criticised Pakatan’s “10-point, 100-days reform” plan as ‘irresponsible’, with potential to bankrupt Malaysia.

Extraordinarily, Najib failed to acknowledge his own department’s warning that Malaysia could go bankrupt by 2019 if strict measures, which include cutting subsidies on consumer essentials, were not implemented.

Anwar responded furiously to Najib’s criticism of the Pakatan reforms, by inviting him to a debate.

Instead of accepting this opportunity to thrash Pakatan’s reforms and thus prove him right, Najib conveniently sidestepped the issue and ignored the invitation. This only prompted more unfavourable comments about Najib and his credibility.

YouTube clips of our live parliamentary sessions show MPs shouting each other down and a general absence of intellectual discourse and lively banter.

Perhaps Rais’ proposal that these debates be held in the Dewan Rakyat is because he wanted to spare us these embarrassing MPs.

Nevertheless, Rais should know that a debate or rather a series of debates by leaders of the main coalition parties is a good thing for our democracy and should be held as part of the campaign trail, for every general election in the future.

It will give the rakyat an opportunity to choose between the old politics of BN and the new politics offered by Pakatan.

Moreover, a debate would energise the campaign and increase the rakyat’s focus on the “big issues”.

The rakyat will benefit from an open public debate.

It is only by observing the delivery of the content of the debate, the arguments put forward to support their policies, their counter arguments and the body language of each participant, that the rakyat can properly evaluate their politicians.

Many people might have seen Najib in his “I help you, you help me” talk in the Sibu by-election. He was constantly wiping his lips every few seconds as if his subconscious was wiping away at some untruths. It was very off-putting. - Malaysia Chronicle