A lot of people tuned in the radio, turned on the TV and stream the internet just for the debate held in Berjaya Time Square KL between DAP Lim Guan Eng and MCA Chua Soi Lek two hours ago. This is a debate that Malaysians have longed to see, as this is the first time political debates are done publicly and broadcasted. Both DAP and MCA were given the chance to debate on the topic “Malaysian Chinese at the Political Crossroads”. The debate started at 5pm and lasted for an hour.
The rules are simple. Each party is given time to express their political views on the topic as a start. After that each person is given time to ask opponent questions and the other person answers. The third session is questions from audiences.
The debate turned out into a politics quarrel after the first session. Thanks to the audiences who sided their own parties. While the intention of getting questions from audiences is good and normal for all debate competitions, the “audiences” were trained and planned to ask (opps sorry, they were shouting) irrelevant questions and made the hall a mess. It is disappointing to most of the people in a sense that the debate did not focus on the topic, but personal attacks on Lim by Chua and his supporters. Lim was gentle enough to continue elaborate his points and use this chance to talk more. As you have known,
opposition parties have very few chances to appear on TV. On the other hand, Chua put more effort on refuting Lim’s points by commenting Lim’s leadership, not by the achievements MCA or BN has done.
I stay neutral for this debate. In fact every one has the right to accept which party he/she wants to support. People can see what the government has done, because newspaper, television and radio are not the only source of information anymore. Internet spreads information faster than you can imagine. Citizens will remember every word politicians say.
What I want to comment is how can someone be a leader when he shows his childish behaviour and stupidity in public? Look at the ministers jumping and slamming the tables when the debate is going on, especially deputy education minister who catches the screen most, smiling and waving the paper like a kid. I am sure there is no one who will proudly tell his/her foreign friends that we have ministers like that. So I think it is obvious that people like that are not capable to become ministers. We do not even have to listen to their speeches, because most probably it is just shouting without solid points.
Political debates might become a trend for parties to convey their messages and visions in future. Nevertheless, politicians have to understand and remember this:
“Ni ng moi dong yin min he so geh!” -quoted from Lao Yang, a normal hakka Sabahan without sideburn who loves to eat pork noodles.
Posted with Prime
Some Whispers