Anwar-Najib debate: lawmakers, audience split over who won

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YOURSAY | Najib’s selective memory in face-off with Anwar

Dr Raman Letchumanan: Despite my revulsion to this much-touted 'Debat Perdana', my curiosity about two ‘ketuanan’ protectors clowning on stage got the better of me. I watched it live, and couldn't sleep after that!

My verdict is PKR president Anwar Ibrahim won. But his performance was not spectacular. Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak got trapped by his own lies. Anwar could have gone for the killer blow in the first round itself but goofed.

Malaysiakini has been analysing the spins, half-truths and lies told by Najib. It surprised me that Najib was on the defensive and stumbling for words, and ended up screwing himself.

Basically, he was making a general election campaign speech. Not the 15th general election, but a repeat of the 14th general election, singing repeated praises of mega projects, GST (goods and services tax), cash is king, etc.

Anwar was caught up with his transparency, accountability, good governance, integrity, and anti-corruption mantra in every round. So much so that he was skirting the key issues throughout.

On the main item of oil and gas company Sapura Energy, Anwar could have landed the knock-out punch. PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli probably did not brief him.

But I have got to give it to Najib. He has graduated from 'I don't know, I was not aware, everyone schemed against me, etc' in court to unabashedly promoting his 'theories' which no sane person will believe, and has been proven wrong.

It was an easy win for Anwar, but Anwar failed to capitalise on it.

The two questions in the Q&A (question and answer) session summed up the whole 'debate', or rather more a prepared script reading. Both Anwar and Najib were caught because they couldn't anticipate the questions. It was most telling of their leadership, intelligence and capacity to think on their feet.

The young female doctor asked a pertinent question - why Najib believes in cash is king as well as the issue of inflation due to rising overnight policy rate.

But Najib had to waste half the previous time by buttering up the doctor, drawing an analogy to her profession. This is a favourite diversionary tactic for someone who couldn't answer the question.

Najib went on to drop a bombshell - that ‘king’ (in his ‘cash is king’ mantra) refers to the rakyat, and he believes in giving as much direct cash as possible.

But that works against rising inflation, where the cash becomes worthless. Did anyone say Najib was a former prime minister and finance minister?

But what takes the cake is the question posed to Anwar. It was by PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil to his boss Anwar. Basically, what are the policies moving forward? Anwar was caught unprepared and repeated his mantra on integrity, transparency, etc.

So, it is all much ado over nothing. And the lesser of the evil had won.

Oh, it gave a very useful lesson to our police force - that is, to go easy on gatherings and debates. Malaysia can survive with a little bit of freedom of association and expression.

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