Discussions are underway to fix a date and venue for a PAS-Umno public debate on the controversy surrounding religious school or Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR).

On Jan 10, PAS central committee member Salehuddin Ayub challenged Umno supreme council member and Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz to take part in a debate on the issue.

He relayed the challenge immediately after receiving a letter from Mohd Nazri that accused him of lying to the people about the schools on the same day.

Salehuddin told malaysiakini today the letter was hand-delivered to him, moments before he officiated a campaign to 'save' these schools in Chenderoh, Perak. Chenderoh is also Mohd Nazri's parliamentary constituency.

Swear innocence

"In the letter signed by his personal secretary, Mohd Nazri advised me to stop lying and challenged me to swear my innocence by holding a Quran in the mosque of my choice.

"During my ensuing ceramah, I publicly accepted his challenge to do so, but I also challenged him to a public debate on the SAR issue," he said when contacted.

Salehuddin, who is also PAS Youth deputy chief, added the next day he received a telephone call from Mohd Nazri, saying the latter agreed to participate in the debate.

"PAS liaisons officer Mohd Fadli Ghani is currently holding discussions with Mohd Nazri's personal secretary to fix the date and place.

"I am hoping the debate will take place as soon as possible, since Mohd Nazri personally told me that he would accept it even if it was to be held at the PAS headquarters.

It is learnt that Salehuddin and Mohd Nazri's representatives are scheduled to meet later today to finalise the details on the debate.

The schools which are mostly run by PAS was thrust into the limelight when the government accused the opposition party of disseminating its propaganda and sowing anti-government sentiments among the students.

The government has stopped funding these schools and its students were asked to switch to national schools instead, eliciting a strong rejection from PAS.

Salehuddin stressed that his party was obligated to ensure the continued existence of these schools, which were responsible for instilling good values among students.

Live telecast

Yesterday, PAS acting president Abdul Hadi Awang said the party has no objection to the proposed debate.

He said the debate would allow the people to know the truth about the government's decision to close the religious schools.

Abdul Hadi added it would be better if Deputy Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin could broadcast it live on the state-run television channel RTM to prove that the country is being run by a democratic government.