Debate dare: Pua wants to duel with the boss, not a 'nobody'

DAP lawmaker Tony Pua has no qualms participating in a debate on the Penang undersea tunnel but insisted on taking on BN strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who is also a minister.

In a text message to Malaysiakini, the Petaling Jaya Utara MP said he would not entertain a debate challenge from a “nobody” like Eric See-To.

“What nonsense! Who is he? He is not even an MP or deputy minister. Why should I debate a nobody?

“I will agree to debate both the tunnel project and 1MDB issues but only with his boss Abdul Rahman,” he said.

Earlier, See-To, who is BN strategic communications deputy director, roped in Pua when accepting PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli's challenge to debate on tax collections.

The BN man said he was willing to debate Rafizi on one condition, which is for the latter to convince Pua to take up See-To's challenge to lock horns over the tunnel project.

Meanwhile, Pua said See-To should not use him as an excuse to evade debating Rafizi.

“If See-To wants to chicken out of Rafizi's challenge, he should not drag me in,” added the DAP lawmaker, reiterating that he would only engage Abdul Rahman and no one else.

Rafizi: I did not use Najib as an excuse

Rafizi, on the other hand, criticised See-To for hiding behind conditions instead of accepting his debate challenge outright.

“I am more than willing to debate him. What he wants to do with Pua and DAP, that is up to him.

“If he is really the man trusted by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to win arguments with the people, then he should not be hiding behind conditions,” he told Malaysiakini.

The Pandan lawmaker noted how certain public officials had accused him of embezzling funds with relation to the Invoke Centre for Policy Initiatives (Invoke) and so forth.

“I never turned the tables (when this allegation was made). I never said that I would only disclose everything if Najib reveals everything about 1MDB.

“I did not use Najib's refusal as an excuse for me not to be transparent and accountable. Likewise, the same should apply to See-To,” he added.- Mkini