Azmin ready to face Rafizi in a debate

Selangor Perikatan Nasional chairman Mohamed Azmin Ali says he is ready to engage Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli in a debate on one condition: Rafizi must first prove that he has succeeded in reviving the country's economy.

"First, lower the oil prices, right?

"It's not me who made the promise; it's you. Today I become prime minister, and tomorrow oil prices will go down.

"Has it gone down? If it hasn't gone down, lower it first before meeting me," he said during a speech when introducing candidates for the Gombak parliamentary constituency last night.

Azmin, who was the former economy minister, said this in response to Rafizi's challenge to debate Malaysia's economy, adding that local television station Astro Awani has expressed its readiness to organise and broadcast the debate live if both parties agree.

The former Selangor menteri besar also said that he has evidence of various initiatives implemented during his tenure, such as special allowances amounting to three months' salary for government officers, free water provided by the state government, and various healthcare initiatives for the people of Selangor.

Azmin added that during his administration, two water treatment plants costing RM800 million were built without any financial assistance from the federal government.

"I used RM800 million from the state government funds, with RM4 billion still in reserves," he said.

Azmin then said that it was not that he did not want to accept the challenge to debate, but it would be a futile effort if the debate was not based on clear facts and records.

"If I go into a debate when he (Rafizi) doesn't have a formula or a solution yet, what's the point?" he asked.