Youth leaders of political parties open to policy debate

 

Leaders from the Youth wings of PAS and Umno as well as Muda have expressed willingness to take up PKR Youth’s challenge for a debate on policy issues.

However, there appears to be no consensus yet among the four parties about when and where the debate should be held.

Earlier, Malaysiakini was made aware that the parties are scheduled to debate with each other in an event organised by a news portal next week.

Malaysiakini was made to understand that the news portal-organised debate would feature PAS Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, PKR Youth chief Adam Adli Abd Halim, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh, and Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

However, when contacted, PKR Youth clarified that the challenge it issued yesterday was for a separate debate event altogether.

This did not sit well with Fadhli who was puzzled when Malaysiakini informed him of PKR Youth's position.

“Why should we separate it? Just discuss (policies) there (at the news portal debate).

“Then we’ll be able to see the results (immediately) and if we’re not satisfied, we’ll discuss further,” he said.

Multiple exchanges

In response, PKR Youth vice-chief Atyra Hanim Razali said that multiple exchanges between parties should not pose any issues for PAS given its active efforts in campaigning.

“If they (PAS) can have ceramah almost every night pre-empting the state elections, surely competition of ideas and credibility across supporters, spectators and fence-sitters through debate and dialogue should not be a problem,” she told Malaysiakini.

Meanwhile, Akmal said he would not be able to attend the news portal's debate next week as originally scheduled.

This is because BN will be announcing its candidates for the six state polls on the same day (July 21) at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Nevertheless, he told Malaysiakini that he would be open to any discussions with other Youth leaders at different periods.

"God willing," he said.

Separately, Muda vice-president Zaidel Baharuddin stated that the party is willing to participate in PKR Youth's policy debate.

He said the discussion would contribute to a “healthier political culture in Malaysia” and hopes that a media organisation would volunteer to host the exchange. - Mkini