Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim today said he invited Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to a discussion - and not a debate - on the opposition's 100-Day Plan, said Bernama in a report.

It would have been an open discussion between the Prime Minister and himself representing the opposition partnership, he said.

"But they disagreed. Before this, we asked for it to be through the media. Yesterday, a letter followed. The response is not that good,' he reportedly told reporters after a panel discussion on the objectives of the syariah and the plural society at the Universiti Insaniah college in Alor Setar.

Another member of the panel was Kedah Mentri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak.

Anwar said he had wanted to have a discussion with Najib because the prime minister was responsible for the economy.

He said the discussion would not be a waste of time because it would explain economic programmes to the people.

Anwar refutes claim

In an immediate statement later this evening, however, the former deputy prime minister refuted the claim he had had only wanted to 'discuss' - not debate - with Najib.

Anwar also called for Bernama to retract and correct the earlier report it had carried containing the said claim.

In the statement entitled '(Challenge to) debate proceeds, Bernama report misleading', Anwar said he views seriously the claim that he had said he did not want to debate with Najib.

"I wish to assert here that I do not hesitate, as stated before and contained in an official letter to the prime minister to an open debate in the interests of the Malaysian public as a whole," said the opposition leader.

Najib, be a man and take up the challenge