Friday, February 29, 2008

Chong Meng and Kui Lun set for war of words

THE much-anticipated debate between the two candidates in the Bukit Bintang parliamentary constituency, Barisan Nasional flag-bearer Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng and incumbent DAP MP Fong Kui Lun, is to take place very soon.

Lee has suggested that the debate be held at the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall this week but urged rival Fong to confine the debate to issues pertaining to the constituency only.

Lee said he had, before the dissolution of parliament, invited Fong to an open debate about the issues raised by the Opposition.

He said that Fong had agreed but suggested having five speakers on each side.

“Let’s have a one-to-one debate. I don’t want to bring in MCA candidates contesting in other constituencies as they are busy,'' Lee said after making his round at the Bukit Bintang market in Jalan Imbi on Tuesday.

Lee has also asked former the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall president Datuk Liew Poon Siak to be the arbitrator and his has accepted.

Lee said that the debate should be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and English.

“It is a debate to resolve the problems frequently brought up by the Opposition,'' he said.

He said the hallcould accommodate 1,000 people and that the debaters would be expected to answer questions fielded from the flood.

Fong said, meanwhile, that he had accepted Lee's challenge on the condition that the debate included national issues.

He said that, for example, the call to revive the local government election should be one of the issues,

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