No plans to broadcast Mahathir-Nazri debate: Salleh

KUALA LUMPUR: Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) has no plans to broadcast the debate between former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak said the debate is not initiated by the government but rather is between both individuals.
"Dr Mahathir had challenged Nazri for the debate to be held at the latter's constituency. To me, this is a debate between the two individuals, it is not a RTM initiative and we have no plans to air it live," Salleh told reporters after the closing of the MIC information leader's course at Grand Pacific Hotel here today.
The highly anticipated debate is scheduled to be held at MRSM Kuala Kangsar in Perak, on March 25.
The topics to be debated include the controversies involving the current governance, namely the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's accounts, the East Coast Rail Line Project (ECRL) and the BMF scandal, which occurred during Dr Mahathir's tenure as prime minister.
Last Wednesday, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, had urged Salleh to allow the debate to go live over RTM.
On Saturday, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said they will allow the debate to take place as the ministry had received an application from the organisers.
The debate came about when Nazri challenged Dr Mahathir to contest against him in Padang Rengas, the parliamentary constituency which the former held since 1995.
Dr Mahathir had countered Nazri's challenge by asking him (Nazri) to contest against him in the Langkawi parliamentary seat instead.
Dr Mahathir, however, denied he would contest in the upcoming General Elections, and thus switched his challenge to a debate, which Nazri accepted.
On criticism that almost made Malaysia lose a huge investment from Saudi Aramco, Salleh said differences in opinion should be celebrated to uphold the nation, instead of bringing it to the gutter.
"Economic sabotage is a serious matter and it could jeapordise the nation's safety. We can criticise the government based on facts, but if the criticism is only for political benefit, where they claimed that the EPF (Employees Provident Fund) is bankrupt, Malaysia is a failed state and much more which is not true, it would create worries among the investors, and the nation has to bear the consequences," he said.
On Saturday, Najib said Malaysia almost lost a huge investment from Saudi Aramco due to the unpatriotic attitude of certain quarters who channelled incorrect information on this country.
Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) had on Feb 28, signed an agreement to buy shares with Saudi Aramco worth RM31 billion to enable the Saudi Arabian oil company to purchase 50% equity in cracking and refining assets under the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project in Pengerang, Johor.