Former chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon is accused of making a face-saving defence line by claiming he had been denied access by current state government to documents on botched land deals, which would be the main feature of his proposed debate with current CM Lim Guan Eng.

Lim's political secretary Ng Wei Aik slammed Koh for attempting to gain political mileage and draw public sympathy rather than acknowledging the present state government for allowing access to minutes of state land committee meetings that took place during his 18-year administration.

koh tsu koon lim guan eng agenda daily debate on land scam issue 150808 01 He said the former CM knew well that the state government could not allow access to the Anti-Corruption Agency's investigations papers because it was beyond its jurisdiction.

Even then, he said, Koh ( left ) was "making up stories to invent defensive excuses on the issue, blaming the state government of not practising its CAT policy of competency, accountability and transparency".

"He is trying to portray the state government of not being cooperative and refusing his rights to examine the land committee papers of his time.

"Truth is, the state executive council is prepared to declassify documents within its jurisdiction for his perusal," said Ng.

Ng pointedly noted that the ACA investigation papers were beyond its purview and state government could be liable if it were to declassify the documents.

He said Koh was preparing a pre-debate defence for himself to "save face" from possible public backlash if his administration were to be exposed during the proposed debate.

Gerakan acting president Koh and DAP secretary-general Lim are due to slug it out at a debate to be telecast live over national TV on Aug 20.

Agenda Daily , the news organisation that organised July's debate between Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek and PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim on fuel price hike, will host the event.

Disagreement over venue as well

Koh has accused Lim of refusing him access to the minutes, reports and papers of the state land committee meetings, pertaining to discussions and decisions on land processing, approval procedures and other such matters.

The state government had allowed him access to such documents during the weekly state executive council meeting on Aug 13.

However, insisting that the state government's gesture was inadequate and insufficient, Koh nonetheless has decided to go ahead with the debate without referring to any of the official classified documents offered by Lim.

The debate was arranged following protracted verbal altercation 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 between 1990 and 2008, has accused Lim of politicising the issue.

Lim has suggested the debate to take place in Penang instead of at the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur, a venue that Koh had agreed with.

Ng said Koh did not want the debate to be held in Georgetown because "he was afraid to face Penangites and feared they would evaluate the bad performance of his Gerakan-led state government."