Onn Hafiz is afraid to debate, says Puad

 Puad Zarkashi cites examples of the Johor menteri besar avoiding debates and limiting legislative discussions when he was state assembly speaker.

Former Johor state assembly speaker Puad Zarkashi (left) claimed Onn Hafiz Ghazi was not open towards debates in the state assembly for the 2022-2026 term.

PETALING JAYA:

Former Umno leader Puad Zarkashi has accused Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi of being afraid to debate his political opponents, including Pakatan Harapan’s Maszlee Malik.

The former Johor assembly speaker cited a time when Onn Hafiz had instructed him not to allow a debate on the constitutional amendment for appointed assemblymen, which would have involved two Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club representatives and two opposition representatives.

“I asked why he was afraid. Wouldn’t it still pass since the government has a two-thirds majority?” Puad said in a Facebook post.

“He said he was afraid it would be used to criticise the Bantuan Kasih Johor programme.”

Puad further alleged that Onn Hafiz had, on several occasions, asked for oral question sessions and debate time to be shortened, requests which he said he rejected.

“It is unfair to the assemblymen who had prepared their questions. It also demeans the dignity of the state assembly, because its lifeblood is oral questions from elected representatives,” he said.

Puad also criticised Onn Hafiz for saying it was “not the Johor way” when rejecting a public debate with former education minister Maszlee Malik, who is the PH candidate for Puteri Wangsa.

“Who says debating is not the Johor way? The Johor way is to debate with civility, with decorum, without shouting and without booing,” he said.

The former Rengit assemblyman said a public debate would allow voters to assess leaders directly, and suggested Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh could stand in if Onn Hafiz declined to take part.

Puad added that he is willing to debate Onn Hafiz, since the latter did not want to take on Maszlee.

This is not the first time Puad has publicly attacked Onn Hafiz.

The former Umno Supreme Council member had accused Onn Hafiz of being a “yes man” when he quit the party on June 25.

Secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki later alleged that Puad threatened to quit the party and publicly criticise it if his son was not chosen as a candidate for the upcoming Johor election. - FMT