DAP, MCA candidates take up debate challenge as Malacca polls heats up

• UPDATED 2.06PM | Added Malacca DAP chief Khoo Poay Tiong's statement on the debate challenge.

MALACCA POLLS | The war of words between DAP and MCA is heating up the Malacca election campaign, with candidates from both parties accepting challenges to public debates in two state constituencies.

The exchanges come amid a separate challenge between DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke and MCA president Wee Ka Siong over their respective records as transport ministers.

In Bandar Hilir, DAP candidate Leng Chau Yen yesterday accepted a debate challenge from her MCA rival, Jasmine Lok, and proposed that both sides appoint coordinators to finalise the arrangements.

Speaking during a press conference at the Bandar Hilir election operations centre, Leng reportedly said she welcomed the invitation and was prepared to debate their respective political positions.

Chinese-daily Nanyang Siang Pau reported that Leng suggested representatives from both campaigns discuss the format and other arrangements to ensure the debate is conducted fairly, transparently and rationally.

Also present was Perak’s Keranji assemblyperson Koo Haai Yen.

In Kota Laksamana, The Star reported that BN candidate Melvin Chua is willing to debate DAP incumbent Low Chee Leong after Loke said candidates from both sides should engage in public debates.

Chua hoped Low would be ready to do so, saying that voters deserved an explanation of the latter's record since the previous state election.

"I am prepared to discuss any community-related matters and share my views.

"If there are other issues he wishes to debate, I am also ready," Chua was quoted as saying after the launch of BN's Kota Laksamana polling district machinery last night.

Manifesto promises, flash floods

Chua said he wanted Low, who has represented Kota Laksamana since 2018, to account for promises made in Harapan's 2021 election manifesto.

"If I make promises in my election manifesto, I will work to fulfil them and provide an update on my progress.

"I hope he can also do the same and explain how many of the promises made from 2021 until now have been fulfilled and which remain outstanding," he said.

Chua also raised recurring flash floods in Pengkalan Rama, questioning whether lasting solutions had been implemented.

"Is there a solution to this problem after all these years? Are we simply going to leave it unresolved?

"Residents have lived in the area for decades, yet some have had to leave their homes because of the flooding. I hope he will address this and explain the situation to the voters."

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Chua urged Low to respond to the debate idea so that both campaigns could agree on a date and venue.

Four against four format

Separately, Malacca DAP chief Khoo Poay Tiong similarly welcomed the debate challenge, and further suggested a format of four candidates from each party.

“We are ready to face them, but don’t just challenge one candidate. If they truly dare, make it four from MCA against four from DAP.

“We can do it in any language, Malay, Chinese, no issue. I would prefer in Malay so all Malaccans can understand the debate and see the true face of MCA,” the Kota Melaka MP told a press conference at Harapan’s operations centre today.

“Oftentimes they (MCA) say one thing to the Chinese and another to the Malays, so through this debate we can see their true colours,” he stressed.

Loke-Wee spat

The debate challenges follow Loke's call yesterday for MCA candidates to face their DAP rivals in public debates across constituencies.

Loke issued the challenge after criticising Wee for supporting a proposed debate between the rival candidates in Bandar Hilir.

The dispute subsequently escalated into a personal exchange between the two party leaders, with Loke challenging Wee to debate their respective track records as transport ministers.

However, Wee dismissed the invitation, insisting that he had never questioned Loke's performance at the ministry.

“He (Loke) can consider himself the ‘best transport minister ever in Malaysia, or the world’. He can hold on to this self-fulfilling prophecy for all I care,” he told Malaysiakini.

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