Some BN leaders support more debate
BernamaPublished: Feb 19, 2012 2:38 PM | Updated: Feb 19, 2012 2:42 PM
Some Barisan Nasional leaders say they are open to the suggestion to have more debates with the opposition on common issues.
Some Barisan Nasional leaders say they are open to the suggestion to have more debates with the opposition on common issues.
Gerakan deputy president Chang Ko Youn said BN leaders had been engaging the opposition figures in the past and they were prepared to engage them again provided there was a right forum and issues to be debated.
"In August 2008, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon also took on Lim Guan Eng for a debate at the DBP (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka) auditorium, several months after he was defeated in the general election.
"Many other BN leaders such as Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow, Minister in the Prime Minister's Deparmtent Nazri Aziz and Youth and Sports Minister Shabery Chik had also debated with opposition leaders before," he said.
He was asked to comment on the debate between MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also DAP secretary-general, yesterday.
However, he stressed that the debate was not the only platform for the BN leaders to engage the public and present their views as Gerakan itself had sent its leaders to participate in forums organised by those who were known to be pro-opposition.
"This is despite the fact that we know the audience in such forums would be hostile toward BN. We have done that before and we are going to do it again," he said.
‘Healthy development’
LDP president VK Liew said he welcomed the idea of having more debate among the politicians and hoped such debates could be extended to include the second echelon of the party leadership.
"In a mature democracy, you cannot stop political leaders from taking part. It is a healthy development to democracy. It's an opportunity to thrash out our differences," he said.
He explained that politicians could not avoid the sentiments of their supporters and it was only natural for them to expect their leaders to put up a good argument, particularly involving issues of mutual interest.
Sarawak United People's Party treasurer-general David Teng said he welcomed any effort to have a healthy debate among political leaders to put forward their views or the policies that they were promoting.
"However, such debates cannot be used as the platform to scold people for whatever reason. Otherwise, it would defeat the whole purpose. Everyone participating in such debate must understand the purpose of the debate," he said.
He said language should not be an issue as debators could have it in their mother tongue and the translation could be provided by the translators.
- Bernama
Gerakan deputy president Chang Ko Youn said BN leaders had been engaging the opposition figures in the past and they were prepared to engage them again provided there was a right forum and issues to be debated.
"In August 2008, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon also took on Lim Guan Eng for a debate at the DBP (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka) auditorium, several months after he was defeated in the general election. "Many other BN leaders such as Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow, Minister in the Prime Minister's Deparmtent Nazri Aziz and Youth and Sports Minister Shabery Chik had also debated with opposition leaders before," he said.
He was asked to comment on the debate between MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also DAP secretary-general, yesterday.
However, he stressed that the debate was not the only platform for the BN leaders to engage the public and present their views as Gerakan itself had sent its leaders to participate in forums organised by those who were known to be pro-opposition.
"This is despite the fact that we know the audience in such forums would be hostile toward BN. We have done that before and we are going to do it again," he said.
‘Healthy development’
LDP president VK Liew said he welcomed the idea of having more debate among the politicians and hoped such debates could be extended to include the second echelon of the party leadership.
"In a mature democracy, you cannot stop political leaders from taking part. It is a healthy development to democracy. It's an opportunity to thrash out our differences," he said. He explained that politicians could not avoid the sentiments of their supporters and it was only natural for them to expect their leaders to put up a good argument, particularly involving issues of mutual interest.
Sarawak United People's Party treasurer-general David Teng said he welcomed any effort to have a healthy debate among political leaders to put forward their views or the policies that they were promoting.
"However, such debates cannot be used as the platform to scold people for whatever reason. Otherwise, it would defeat the whole purpose. Everyone participating in such debate must understand the purpose of the debate," he said.
He said language should not be an issue as debators could have it in their mother tongue and the translation could be provided by the translators.
- Bernama
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