Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin will issue an official letter to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim tomorrow, challenging him to a debate over Pakatan Rakyat's 100-day reform plans.
Echoing the recent attack on the reform plan by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Khairy offered himself as Anwar's opponent, saying there was no need for the premier to “waste his time” debating with Anwar.
“I read on Twitter that one of his supporters said 'who are you to challenge Anwar'... I am an MP, he is an MP. I'm elected in my party, he's not even elected in his party,” Khairy (right in picture) said at a press conference after the soft launch of the BN Youth Job Fair 2011 at the Putra World Trade Centre.
Yesterday, Anwar challenged Najib to a national debate to defend Pakatan's 100-day reform plan following Najib's claim that the opposition would bankrupt Malaysia should it take over the country's administration.
Khairy was the first to step up to the plate following Anwar's challenge, countering with a challenge of his own on Twitter.
“Is that all you've got, Sir? Retweeting someone else's words. You and me, Dato' Seri. On the economy. Let's debate,” he said on the micro-blogging site.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/153183
In a post on Twitter, Khairy said that the BN Youth secretary would be submitting the letter to Anwar's office.
"Anwar's office and BN Youth can date, time, venue, format, (choice of) moderator and other details," wrote Khairy. Earlier today, Khairy told reporters that he was adamant on debating the topic with Anwar because Pakatan's 100-day reform plan is “unrealistic and simplistic”.
Echoing the recent attack on the reform plan by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Khairy offered himself as Anwar's opponent, saying there was no need for the premier to “waste his time” debating with Anwar.
“I read on Twitter that one of his supporters said 'who are you to challenge Anwar'... I am an MP, he is an MP. I'm elected in my party, he's not even elected in his party,” Khairy (right in picture) said at a press conference after the soft launch of the BN Youth Job Fair 2011 at the Putra World Trade Centre.
Yesterday, Anwar challenged Najib to a national debate to defend Pakatan's 100-day reform plan following Najib's claim that the opposition would bankrupt Malaysia should it take over the country's administration.
Khairy was the first to step up to the plate following Anwar's challenge, countering with a challenge of his own on Twitter.
“Is that all you've got, Sir? Retweeting someone else's words. You and me, Dato' Seri. On the economy. Let's debate,” he said on the micro-blogging site.
Khairy pointed out that a public debate between him and Anwar would not be odd as they were always debating in Parliament.
The BN Youth chief added that because he dids not represent the government in any official capacity, he would have a “slightly different” and possibly more critical perspective on the state of the nation's economy.
“I don't think there's a problem if we discuss, for the rakyat... this is not about the government going up against the opposition. This is two MPs, debating the future of the economy."
Anwar's figures unrealistic
Khairy said that Pakatan's pledge to fulfil its 100-day plan with a budget of RM19 billion would not be as simple as Anwar would like the people to believe.
He said Anwar's pronouncement that a Pakatan-led government would recoup the figure by eliminating corruption and leakages was merely blowing smoke in mirrors.
“Anwar said they will get the money by eradicating corruption, but is it that easy? Is it stated that today the BN government suffers leakages (worth) up to RM19 billion due to abuse of power, corruption and the like? That is an assumption without basis.
“He must explain how they will get the RM19 billion. This is not about getting RM19 billion from the sky, he has to find the money which means they have to cancel some programmes laid out by the BN for the rakyat.
“Which programmes will be cut out to get the funds? Will it be the PPRT (low-cost housing scheme), or the hospitals or universities that we promised?”
Khairy also slammed Anwar for taking a “simplistic” position on the corporate subsidies issued to independent power producers (IPP), saying that any restructuring of the subsidies could only be done if the companies agreed to it.
The BN Youth chief added that because he dids not represent the government in any official capacity, he would have a “slightly different” and possibly more critical perspective on the state of the nation's economy.
“I don't think there's a problem if we discuss, for the rakyat... this is not about the government going up against the opposition. This is two MPs, debating the future of the economy."
Anwar's figures unrealistic
Khairy said that Pakatan's pledge to fulfil its 100-day plan with a budget of RM19 billion would not be as simple as Anwar would like the people to believe.
He said Anwar's pronouncement that a Pakatan-led government would recoup the figure by eliminating corruption and leakages was merely blowing smoke in mirrors.
“Anwar said they will get the money by eradicating corruption, but is it that easy? Is it stated that today the BN government suffers leakages (worth) up to RM19 billion due to abuse of power, corruption and the like? That is an assumption without basis.
“He must explain how they will get the RM19 billion. This is not about getting RM19 billion from the sky, he has to find the money which means they have to cancel some programmes laid out by the BN for the rakyat.
“Which programmes will be cut out to get the funds? Will it be the PPRT (low-cost housing scheme), or the hospitals or universities that we promised?”
Khairy also slammed Anwar for taking a “simplistic” position on the corporate subsidies issued to independent power producers (IPP), saying that any restructuring of the subsidies could only be done if the companies agreed to it.
'He's stupid because these are all contractual obligations'
“He doesn't explain how negotiations would be done with the IPPs on the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA). Otherwise (the companies) can sue the government, and the government will lose money.
“We have to remember these are all contracts. It's not that I support IPPs but these are contracts and if Anwar says, 'If I become PM tomorrow I will cancel the PPAs', he's stupid because these are all contractual obligations.
“He has to explain how private companies with binding contracts with the government will agree to the proposal. If there is no explanation... that is why I say there is no basis (for the 100-day reform plan). It's something that is unrealistic and simplistic,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khairy was tight-lipped when asked about his scheduled meeting with Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan, only confirming that the meeting did indeed take place last week.
He did not say what was discussed during the meeting, which was widely speculated to be related to an earlier Twitter post by Khairy who indicated that he was not interested in defending his Rembau parliamentary seat.
Khairy was also evasive when asked about his Twitter post, instead making a light reference to the BN Youth Job Fair he launched earlier today.
“(This is the) BN Youth (Job) Fair, so just look around... I pre-registered already,” he quipped, referring to the launching ceremony where his curriculum vitae was symbolically “scanned” into the event's database as a potential job seeker.
“We have to remember these are all contracts. It's not that I support IPPs but these are contracts and if Anwar says, 'If I become PM tomorrow I will cancel the PPAs', he's stupid because these are all contractual obligations.
“He has to explain how private companies with binding contracts with the government will agree to the proposal. If there is no explanation... that is why I say there is no basis (for the 100-day reform plan). It's something that is unrealistic and simplistic,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khairy was tight-lipped when asked about his scheduled meeting with Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan, only confirming that the meeting did indeed take place last week.
He did not say what was discussed during the meeting, which was widely speculated to be related to an earlier Twitter post by Khairy who indicated that he was not interested in defending his Rembau parliamentary seat.
Khairy was also evasive when asked about his Twitter post, instead making a light reference to the BN Youth Job Fair he launched earlier today.
“(This is the) BN Youth (Job) Fair, so just look around... I pre-registered already,” he quipped, referring to the launching ceremony where his curriculum vitae was symbolically “scanned” into the event's database as a potential job seeker.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/153183
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