Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua today questioned why Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had to repeat his offer to meet when the offer has already been accepted.

Quoting a line from a famous scene in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, Pua said: "He need not have made too many invites, he had me at hello."

NONEClaiming to be flattered that Zahid had extended a "third invite in four days", Pua reiterated that Pakatan Rakyat MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Dzulkefly Ahmad and he were ever ready to meet the minister to hear his explanation on defence purchases.

"Unfortunately, despite his eagerness to meet me, our defence minister appears to be very poorly informed and does not read the news.

"So, I repeat here: We accept the invite from the minister to offer clarifications and look forward to his honourable office making the necessary arrangements for our visit," Pua said.

He also hit back at Zahid, who in his various invitations also claimed that Pua was "cowardly" for not bringing the matter up with him face-to-face.

Zahid needs to jog his memory

The DAP publicity chief said Zahid should jog his memory to realise that he (Pua) "was present in Parliament and even debated heatedly and extensively with him when he was replying on these issues, twice in March 2011".

The minister had claimed that the opposition MP was absent when answers were given on the matter.

Chiding Zahid for his "forgetfulness", Pua reminded the minister that he had also threatened to take legal action against the DAP man for questioning defence purchases.

The minister first extended the invite on Dec 30, when asked by reporters about Pua's query on why the ceiling price for the purchase of six patrol naval vessels had risen from RM6 billion to RM9 billion in less than a year.

Zahid gave the initial figure in Parliament in March 2011, while the second, bigger figure was announced to Bursa Malaysia by Boustead Holdings when its subsidiary, Boustead Naval Shipyard, was awarded the contract to supply the naval vessels.