I give Rafizi Ramli 3 days to convince Tony Pua

1. For all the arrogance, bluster and name-calling of Tony Pua’s multiple replies, the end-result is still that DAP does not dare stand-up to scrutiny over the RM6.34 billion Penang Tunnel project.

2. When it comes to this project, the reasons that he gave to avoid the debate including “you are a nobody” and “debates are to fool the people” are mystifying to say the least.

3. When BN declines a debate challenge, Pakatan claims BN have something to hide or are cowards. But when Pakatan declines a BN debate challenge, Pakatan claims debates are to cheat the people.

4. DAP now says ordinary rakyat are nobodies and hence do not have the right to question the opposition-held state government over mega-projects involving rakyat funds to the tune of billions of ringgit.

DAP has the god-given right do what they want without being questioned or scrutinized.

5. Tony then said he no longer considers me a friend as I now swim with “the sharks of BN” but does not find it hypocritical that he now swims with the biggest shark in the form of the Harapan Chairman.

6. In May 2007 when Tony Pua was not yet a Member of Parliament and only held the post of economic advisor to the DAP Secretary-General, he made a controversial statement that the civil service needs to be drastically cut as it has become the dumping ground for unemployed Malay graduates.. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/67577

7. When Khairy Jamaluddin who was Deputy UMNO youth head then had admonished Tony for this racially-charged remark, Tony Pua challenged him to a debate.

8. When Khairy declined, he did not call Tony Pua a nobody despite Tony’s lack of position then but said this was Tony’s attempt to divert attention from his racist remark.

9. Despite this, Tony still went ahead to organize the debate and left an empty chair for Khairy.

10. I shall not pursue asking Tony Pua to decline for fear that his excuses to avoid the debate gets even stranger. Neither wouldI engage in similar name-calling as Tony did as I see no point in pushing someone if he already afraid.

11. I give 3 days for YB Rafizi Ramli to convince Tony Pua to be brave to accept the debate.

12. Should Rafizi fail then I shall debate Rafizi on both the tax issues subject as well as the Penang tunnel.

13. Rafizi being the “pakar segala pakar” whose expertise range from the cow-rearing business, to MRT tunnel construction cost, to Tabung Haji investment matters and to the airlines aviation business, among many others, would have no problem with the Penang Tunnel project debate.

14. After 3 days, Rafizi should just get his Invoke company to organize both the debates at a time suitable for both of us. Rafizi and I shall have two debates instead of one.

Eric See-To,
Deputy Director,
Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications.