No way out for 1MDB’s Arul to avoid debating me, says Rafizi

PKR Secretary General Rafizi Ramli says there is ‘no way out’ for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy to avoid a debate about the troubled state-owned investment firm. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Seth Akmal, November 5, 2015.

There is "no way out" for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy to avoid a debate about the troubled state-owned investment firm, PKR Secretary General Rafizi Ramli said today.

Even with the withdrawal of his initial opponent, DAP's Tony Pua, Arul Kanda would still have to engage in a debate or risk public scorn, added Rafizi, who will now replace Pua.

Rafizi, who was chosen by opposition pact Pakatan Harapan to replace Pua as the debater, said Arul Kanda could not opt to back out just because of the change in opponent.

"In short, I don't think there is any way out for Arul Kanda. If he backs out, it sends a message that he is not brave to face the public," Rafizi said.

"A supposedly good debater (Arul) can't miss the chance for a show like this," he added.

Rafizi also said that if Arul backs out of the debate, it would show that Arul accepted the challenge initially just as an attempt to get Pua to be booted out from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Meanwhile, Pua also said that the debate was not about him and Arul alone, but is about having a platform to find out the truth about 1MDB.

"The issue of this being only about Tony Pua and Arul Kanda does not arise," he said.

- TMI