Former Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon said today he has decided to go ahead and debate his successor Lim Guan Eng without referring to any of the official classified documents offered by the latter even though this disadvantaged him.

The Gerakan chief, who was defeated by Lim at the March general election, said the confidential documents approved for his use were so “minimal” they would add nothing to what he already knows about the string of botched land deals that will form the core of the debate’s agenda.

koh tsu koon lim guan eng agenda daily debate on land scam issue 150808 01 Koh and Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, are due to slug it out at a debate to be telecast live over national TV on Aug 20.

“This clearly violates the principles of fairness and freedom of information as advocated by Guan Eng and his so-called CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) government,” Koh said in a statement today.

“Therefore, I have decided not to accept his offer to look at those documents at all.”

Koh said he was refused access to the minutes, reports and papers of the state land committee meetings, the Anti-Corruption Agency’s investigations papers, and notes pertaining to discussions and decisions on land processing, approval procedures and other such matters.

He was also disappointed that only he - and nobody else - could look at the exco minutes concerned and then only two days before the debate date of Aug 20 even though he had asked to be given the documents by today itself.

“By denying me full information access to the relevant documents, Guan Eng is putting me at a disadvantaged position for the upcoming debate,” said Koh.

The debate was arranged following a series of challenges and counter-challenges between the former and current chief ministers over three flawed land deals that Lim says has cost the state treasury RM124.5 million.

Koh, who governed the northern state for 18 years, has in turn accused Lim of politicisng the transactions which he said had been properly accounted for.

No excuses about venue

He also told Lim to stop making an issue of the venue for the debate, which will take place at the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur, which was chosen by the organiser Agenda Daily for costs and logistics convenience.

Agenda Daily is the same news group that organised last month’s debate between Information Minister Shabbery Cheek and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

lim guan eng vs koh tsu koon penang 080808 01 “It is best that the live telecast debate be held in a proper environment. If the debate is held in Penang, both sides will mobilise suporters to the venue. It may be disruptive to the live telecast,” Koh said.

“Therefore, since it will be telecast live, the venue is and should not be an issue of contention. If Guan Eng wants his supporters in Penang to watch the live telecast together, he can set up big screens for them,” he added.

Koh also said Lim should not make any excuses as he will be in Kuala Lumpur anyway to attend Parliament during the week of the debate.

“Least we forget, it was Guan Eng who claims that resolving the land issue is important for Penang's development. Furthermore, Guan Eng himself has suggested that he is willing to debate with Dr Koh on the issue anywhere, including Gerakan's headquarters. If that is the case, what's wrong with debating with Dr Koh in a neutral ground like Kuala Lumpur?”was Koh’s parting shot to Lim.