Muhyiddin ready for debate with other prime minister candidates

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin said he is ready to debate with any of his opposing prime ministerial candidates in the forthcoming 15th general election.

This comes after his counterpart from Pakatan Harapan, Anwar Ibrahim, proposed a debate between the prime ministerial candidates from the three main coalitions clashing in GE15.

Muhyiddin said he has no issue with the suggestion, provided the purpose of the debate does not include any trickery from any party.

“I have no problem with debating or having a dialogue.

“If the organisers extend an official invite and (the debate) is appropriate, with no unpleasant reactions and it is done in a fair manner, I have no issues,” he was reported as saying by Sinar Harian today.

Muhyiddin said discussing issues in the debate related to the country’s recovery, the economy and education, as well as international issues, would be fine with him.

He stressed that the debate must not be for other purposes, aside from discussing important issues for the benefit of the country.

Aside from Anwar and Muhyiddin, the third prime ministerial candidate is from BN, that is Caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

However, Ismail had previously rejected the debate challenge from Anwar, saying that such debates were not a culture in Malaysia’s politics and would bring no benefits.

“First of all, it is not our culture to have debates. We have never done this and it doesn’t do any good.

“And even if we do debate, he (Anwar) will only use the time to mention his manifesto and make ‘bulan dan bintang’ (the moon and the stars) promises (to voters).

“So, no need,” Ismail had said.

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