Umno: Nurul Izzah ‘out of control’ in forcing debate with minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — Umno accused PKR lawmaker Nurul Izzah Anwar today of using provocation and slander in a publicity campaign to tarnish the image of her arch nemesis Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin to Lembah Pantai constituents.

The party's Lembah Pantai division lodged a police report today against Nurul Izzah, lashing out at the PKR vice-president for going "out of control" in trying to publicise a debate with Raja Nong Chik when the minister had already repeatedly turned down her invite.

In the report, made available via email to the media this evening, Lembah Pantai Umno information chief Datuk Ibrahim Tambi Chik pointed out that despite Raja Nong Chik's refusal, Nurul Izzah (picture) has been putting up banners and posters to promote the debate across the constituency.

"The Lembah Pantai MP has stubbornly continued to blow the issue out of proportion... urging people to attend the debate session even though there was no agreement in writing from the ministry on his attendance," the division said in a statement here.

The "Debat Perdana Lembah Pantai" debate is scheduled for tonight and in an earlier statement to the media, Nurul Izzah had said that the event would proceed as planned despite the minister's alleged silence to her invite.

The federal territories and urban wellbeing minister is tipped to be Nurul Izzah's contender for the Lembah Pantai seat in Election 2013.

The Umno division also further questioned if Nurul Izzah had obtained a permit for the event, or approval to place the posters and banners up.

On February 13, Nurul, who is the daughter of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, submitted a letter to Raja Nong Chik's office inviting the minister for a debate on who is the better candidate for Lembah Pantai.

The PKR vice-president added that it was in the interest of democratic practice that the two engage in an open debate regarding the various claims and allegations by both sides.

"If we intend to get to the bottom of issues in the parliamentary constituency of Lembah Pantai, then he should accept the invitation," said Abdullah Izhar Mohd Yusof, the director of the Complaints and Community Bureau under Nurul Izzah's office.