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IT’S A NO SHOW: THE CHICKEN DID NOT COME, AS EXPECTED…
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WEDNESDAY, 17 APRIL 2013
11.10pm
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Malaysia Chronicle
Wednesday, 17 April 2013 20:41
HERO’S welcome for Anwar, COWARD’S thumbs-down for Najib!
Written by Wong Choon Mei, Alaa Soleiman, Malaysia Chronicle
UPDATE 4 As expected, Prime Minister Najib Razak failed to turned up at a forum organized by the Bersih movement for free and fair polls aimed to enable both sides of the political divide to explain to the people their manifestos ahead of the coming general election.
By contrast Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim came as scheduled, receiving a rousing welcome from the crowd that packed the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall for the high-profile event.
“Of course we are disappointed. We had hoped he would send someone,” Bersih co-chair Ambiga Sreenevasan told Malaysia Chronicle on the sidelines of the forum.
“He missed the chance, he should have come,” Samad Said, Bersih’s other co-chair, told Malaysia Chronicle, referring to Najib’s snubbing the opportunity to clarify and push the Umno-BN’s manifesto to voters.
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Anwar, who held the floor with aplomb, spoke for nearly an hour spoke on the need to stop the “corruption rot” in the country and how badly Malaysia needed to raise its competitiveness level to regain its attractiveness to investors.
He took 5 questions from moderator, focusing on illicit outflows and how it was damaging the economy and widening the gap between the have and have-nots. He also vowed to abolish the PTPTN student loans and to support “all schools”. It is part of the Pakatan’s manifesto to provide free education up to university level for all citizens.
HERO’S welcome for Anwar, COWARD’S thumbs-down for Najib!
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BERSIH DEBATE: ANWAR VERSUS NAJIB
Topic: Manifesting People’s Hope: A Common Discourse’
Place: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
Date: Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Time: 8.45pm
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Malaysian Chronicle
Wednesday, 17 April 2013 20:41
Bersih manifesto ‘conversation’: ANWAR SHOWS UP, NAJIB CHICKENS OUT
Written by Malaysia Chronicle
UPDATE2 As expected, Prime Minister Najib Razak failed to turned up at a ‘common conversation’ organized to enable both sides of the political divide to explain to the people their manifestos unveiled for Malaysia’s coming general election.
By contrast Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim came as scheduled, receiving a rousing welcome from the crowd that packed the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall for the high-profile event organized by free and fair polls movement Bersih.
“Of course we are disappointed. We had hoped he would send someone,” Bersih co-chair Ambiga Sreenevasan told Malaysia Chronicle.
“He missed the chance,” Ambiga’s co-chair Samad Said told Malaysia Chronicle, referring to Najib’s missing the opportunity to clarify and push the Umno-BN’s manifesto.
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THE MOTHER OF ALL DEBATES IN MALAYSIA: WILL IT BE STILLBORN? OR ABORTED?
Malaysia Chronicle
Wednesday, 17 April 2013 16:49
WILL FEAR-OF-DEBATE NAJIB CHICKEN OUT? Anwar confirms attending manifesto ‘conversation’
Written by Malaysia Chronicle
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Najib or no Najib, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will be making his way to the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall tonight, where the Bersih movement for free and fair elections has organized a ‘conversation’ with the Prime Minister so that Malaysians can evaluate the pros and cons of the manifestos presented by the country’s two main coalitions ahead of the May 5 election.
“Yes, Anwar has confirmed he is going and should be there around 8.30pm tonight,” Najwan Halimi, Anwar’s media aide, told Malaysia Chronicle.
However, Anwar may be disappointed. As of press time, Najib’s office has yet to confirm if he will attend. Prime Minister Najib Razak is notorious for his fear of public debates especially with nemesis Anwar, who is known for his oratorical skills.
Fear of debate or fear of Anwar
Be that as it may, Najib who has already turned down numerous requests from Anwar for a debate on economic, social and political issues is unlikely to overcome his fear of a public grilling.
Moderating tonight’s program will be Bersih steering committee member Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, who has said the show would go on regardless of whether Najib turned up.
“Since Najib claimed that this country should the best democracy in the world, he must prove that he is willing to debate as is practised in democratic countries,” Harakahdaily had reported Farouk, who also heads Islamic Renaissance Front, as saying.
Malaysia Chronicle
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Malaysiakini
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) has promised a “surprise” at its manifesto debate between BN and Pakatan Rakyat tonight, if caretaker Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak or a BN representative does not show up.
PKR de facto head Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed his presence and Bersih is still waiting for an answer from Najib, who is also the BN chairperson, Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah said.
“We are still waiting for a response from Najib. If there is no answer from his side, we will present a surprise to those attending the forum tonight,” Maria (right) said when contacted today.
Bersih said it is organising the forum entitled, ‘Manifesting People’s Hope: A Common Discourse’ to enable both BN and Pakatan to present their manifestos.
It is scheduled to take place at 8.45pm at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
Bersih hints a ‘surprise’ if no-show by Najib tonight
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Will it happen?
The Big Showdown between Anwar and Najib.
| Harakahdaily, | 16 April 2013 |
Apr 16: The stage is set, literally, for a ‘conversation’ with both caretaker prime minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to present their respective coalition’s manifesto.
Seen as the closest to a ‘debate’ which Najib had been shying away from despite opinion polls showing the public’s approval to such an event, the programme is being organised by none other than influential electoral reforms coalition Bersih 2.0.
While Anwar has confirmed his attendance, Najib has yet to respond.
In any case, the public will eagerly await what could be the first formal public encounter between the nation’s two opposing top political leaders in the days leading to polling day on May 5.
Moderating the programme, to be held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow evening, is Bersih steering committee member Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa.
Speaking to Harakahdaily, Farouk (right) said whether or not Najib turns up tomorrow, the programme will proceed as planned.
Still, he hoped that the UMNO president will be present at the historic event.
“Since Najib claimed that this country should the best democracy in the world, he must prove that he is willing to debate as is practised in democratic countries,” Farouk, who also heads Islamic Renaissance Front, told Harakahdaily today, while pledging to be objective in his role as moderator.
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Free Malaysia Today
Bersih invites Anwar, Najib to present manifestos
The opposition leader has accepted the invitation but Najib has yet to respond, says S Ambiga
KUALA LUMPUR: Polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 has invited Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak to present their respective coalition’s manifesto at a forum next week.
Bersih co-chairperson, S Ambiga, told reporters that Anwar has accepted the invitation, but Najib has yet to respond to her invitation through social media platform Twitter.
Regardless, she said, the public forum is to go on with or without Najib’s participation.
“We will try to do it as fairly as possible, and we hope to have a representative from both sides,” said Ambiga at a press conference here.
The forum will be held on April 17 at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. It will begin at 8.45pm and will be moderated by Islamic Renaissance Front chairman Dr Farouk Musa.
“It’s not a debate, just a forum. We don’t want anyone to be put off, we want everyone to be comfortable with the format,” said Ambiga.
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weehingthong 