Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is hoping the police would not bar the rescheduled debate between Tourism and Culture Nazri Abdul Aziz and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Conferring the title "warrior" on Nazri for accepting the debate challenge, Lim also took a swipe at another cabinet minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan, describing Rahman as a "chicken".

Lim said he once looked forward to debating with Rahman, when the latter held the urban wellbeing, housing and local government portfolio, on the Penang government's sale of a plot of land in Taman Manggis.

In April last year, Rahman challenged Lim to a public debate on the issue, but the police were against it on grounds that it would affect ongoing investigations.

Rahman did not pursue the matter and instead urged Lim to sue him for alleging that there was improprieties in the sale of the land.

As for the debate between Nazri and Mahathir, it was initially scheduled for this Saturday at Kuala Kangsar, but the police intervened again.

Following this, the debate has been rescheduled for April 7 in Shah Alam. The topics to be discussed include 1MDB, the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's bank accounts and the BMF scandal during Mahathir's tenure.

Lim said he would be rooting for Mahathir during the debate, although Nazri, as tourism and culture minister, had always been friendly with the Penang government.

"This is because Mahathir is now our ally, since Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is now a part of Pakatan Harapan.

"I will not be supporting Nazri as he will be supporting the prime minister," Lim added.