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

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KUALA LUMPUR – As opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak argued on economic policies in last night’s televised debate, lawmakers and audience members at the venue have contradictory views over who had the upper hand.

For lawyer and Penangite Yusmadi, 48, Anwar appeared to be more in touch with the problems endured by the laymen, while Najib projected an elitist and corporate friendly image.

He added that Anwar appeared more coherent and in doing so was able to identify pertinent problems afflicting the man on the street.

“Najib was coming from a very pro-corporate perspective, while Anwar included the marginalised, those at a disadvantage and the vulnerable, who are supposed to be given highest priority in terms of help needed.

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Nothing new in ‘great debate’, says Ramasamy

PETALING JAYA: Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy slammed last night’s “great debate” between former prime minister Najib Razak and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, saying it had “no crucial information that the public was unaware of”.

He said what should have been a debate on Sapura Energy Bhd (SEB) between the two “political giants” turned out to be nothing more than a way for them to politically position themselves.

“The debate on SEB was merely an appetiser before both the candidates went on to state their respective political stand on the development trajectory of the country,” he said in a Facebook posting today.

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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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Privatisation better than Petronas takeover: experts on Sapura Energy

KUALA LUMPUR – Economists have poured cold water on Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s proposal for Petronas to take over Sapura Energy Bhd, suggesting instead that the embattled firm enter a privatisation deal.

The former prime minister made the proposal during his debate with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday night, saying the national oil and gas company has the expertise to pull Sapura Energy out of troubled waters.

Najib had also claimed that a takeover by Petronas would not involve a single sen of public funds, a notion that was immediately pooh-poohed by his political rival on stage.

Speaking to The Vibes, Sunway University economics professor Yeah Kim Leng said by allowing competitive bidding, the government can ensure that Sapura Energy is acquired by the most capable hands.

Such a move will also mean that the risk capital of taking over a financially troubled company is borne fully by the private sector, instead of transferring that burden to government entities, he said.

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