"Anytime" - Anwar tells Najib he is ready for their debate on Sapura

SHAH ALAM - Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today accepted former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's challenge to debate on the bailout of Sapura Energy Bhd (Sapura Energy).

Anwar said he had challenged Najib on similar matters for the past decade but he had not responded.

"I am ready to face and debate Najib for the country and the people anytime,” he said in a statement this afternoon.

The PKR President also accompanied his willingness with a Malay warrior pantun verse:

Tuan Puteri pergi ke Lukut,

Bawa pulang kacang panjang,

Sedikit pun hamba tak takut,

Kalau berani turun gelanggang.

(The princess went to Lukut, to bring home long beans, I'm not afraid in the slightest, if you dare to go down to the ring)

The issue of Najib's call for the government to save Sapura Energy originally transpired between the Pekan MP and Rafizi, who is former Pandan MP.

Among the issues disputed was the propriety of its chief executive officer being given such a lucrative salary.

Back in March, Rafizi said Najib - who was prime minister at the time - failed to safeguard the interests of public institutions through Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) and Pensions Trust Fund (KWAP) who are shareholders in the company.

After examining Sapura Energy's financial records, Rafizi said an executive director representing the majority of the shareholders earned almost RM1.1 billion from 2009 to 2021 in the form of salaries, bonuses, rent, intellectual property fees and other forms of remuneration.

This had led to exchanges of words between Rafizi and Najib and move for a debate, in which Najib then demand that Anwar be involved as well.

Rafizi perceived this move by Najib as him being afraid to go head-to-head with him but ensured that he would extend the invitation.

The Selangor Barisan Nasional Information Chief Isham Jalil suddenly got into the mix after voicing out his intentions to stand in for Najib if Anwar refuses to enter the ring, as suggested by the former prime minister himself.

He told Sinar that he agreed to a debate with Rafizi, who is contesting for the PKR deputy president post next month.

However, today Anwar has come out stating that he was ready just as he was ready 10 years ago to a debate with Najib.

He, who is also Port Dickson MP, said Najib had challenged him to this duel after failing to answer questions from Rafizi on the bail-out crisis of Sapura Energy in a time when the people are financially unstable and small traders are left to fend for themselves.