Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Nazri Aziz and PAS MP for Kuala Terengganu Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi both proclaimed themselves ready and interested to debate issues linked to the closure of two Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) in Terengganu.

Yet, neither would say who would take the initiative to organise the debate, entitled 'The closure of two MRSM in Terengganu: Who is the traitor?'

Their date set for last Thursday was aborted after police closed the doors of the venue at the Islam Administrative Centre in Sri Imam Complex, Kuala Terengganu, on the grounds of security concerns.

"Anytime, anywhere," Syed Azman ( left ) was quick to answer in response to malaysiakini's query this afternoon.

Nazri's press secretary Mohammad Isa said the minister, too, wanted the debate to be held "as soon as possible".

Asked about the possible venue, he said it could be anywhere but in Terengganu, because police had said "safety (at that location) cannot be guaranteed.".

Nazri ( left ), who is Umno Chenderoh division chief and MP for Chenderoh in Perak had issued a written challenge to Syed Azman on June 17 to debate the issue. The latter accepted it after obtaining permission from PAS acting president Abdul Hadi Awang.

The challenge was made following the PAS MP's motion in the Dewan Rakyat last month to "condemn the government for acting in haste" in closing the two colleges in Besut and Dungun.

Claims denied

Syed Azman also vehemently denied Nazri's claims reported in Utusan Malaysia yesterday that it was the Terengganu government's fault that the colleges were closed down.

"As with any other school, you will face some hitches. But that doesn't justify at all the complete closure of the schools," the opposition MP said.

"In fact, some RM40 million had been spent on maintaining the two schools, including financial support provided by the previous (Barisan Nasional) state government."

He also denied Nazri's allegation that conditions at the two colleges in Besut and Dungun had deteriorated (thereby forcing the government to close the premises on Jan 6).

"The MRSMs were among the best schools in the country. Just last year, MRSM Dungun, which was quite big with 1,050 students, had the best PMR results nationally," Syed Azman stressed.

"The colleges were also well-equipped with facilities like computer labs and science labs."

Bone of contention

On another allegation that the Terengganu government had kept mum for two years over Nazri's suggestion to decrease the quota of Terengganu students in the colleges, Syed Azman said this was not true.

"Some time ago, Nazri himself had met (Terengganu executive council member) Mustafa Ali in the lobby of the Parliament, following which there were a number of meetings between Mara officials and the Terengganu government over the matter," he said.

"In May last year, just five months before the closure was announced, Mara chairperson Abu Seman Yusop had said he was happy with the relationship between the Terengganu government and Mara. He had even given us the assurance that the colleges would not be closed."

Clarifying the state government's position, Syed Azman said: "It was already agreed between Mara and the Terengganu government that the quota would indeed be reduced to 50 percent from 80 percent."

The state government had requested that the balance of MRSM Terengganu students be assigned to other MRSM in the country, he stressed.

On Nazri's assertion that it was the Terengganu government that had ordered the schools' premises to be closed, Syed Azman described this as "an outright lie".

"I have a copy of a letter from the Terengganu authorities urging Mara to continue their relationship. When one of the colleges was closed, we had even decided to continue its role as a school called Kolej Sains Al-Qur'an," he said.

The closure of the colleges has been a bone of contention between the ruling coalition and opposition parties ever since Nazri made the announcement in October 2002.

Umno officials insisted this was carried out as a "matter of principle", while critics claimed it was done out of vengeance.