Press Statement by Lim Guan Eng in Georgetown on Friday, 2^nd October 2009: 

Lim Guan Eng prepared to have a nationally televised debate with Koh Tsu Koon without any buts anytime, anyplace anywhere even in the Gerakan Headquarters 

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is prepared to have a nationally televised debate with Gerakan President and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon without any ‘buts’ anytime, anyplace, anywhere even in the Gerakan Headquarters. DAP is disappointed that Koh has shown his trademark indecisiveness and evasiveness by setting pre-conditions to Lim before this nationally televised debate can happen.

To ensure that Koh does not wriggle out of the nationally televised debate with evasive tactics, Lim has unreservedly agreed to debate Koh without any conditions, even if it is held in the Gerakan headquarters, on the Kampung Buah Pala and any land issues.

Koh had said that Gerakan leaders are willing to debate with Lim while attending the Penang Gerakan AGM on 30 August 2009. On the next day, Lim immediately replied that he will accept Koh’s challenge, only if Koh himself debated with Lim. However, Koh did not take up the challenge, but instead sent Gerakan Youth as his proxies. Trying to help out Koh to avoid the debate, Penang Gerakan Chairman Teng Hock Nan even claimed a few days ago that Koh only suggested and did not challenge Lim for the debate.

Under pressure to prove his courage, Koh has pretended to accept the nationally televised debate. The pre-conditions Koh placed for the debate gives the impression that Koh has no sincerity at all to debate. All this clearly shows that Koh’s indecisiveness and evasiveness has not changed at all, even after the 308 political tsunami. He is still the same Koh Tsu Koon. He lost more than 10,000 votes during the 2008 General Election, precisely because of his indecisive and evasive nature.

If Koh dare not debate with Lim without any conditions one to one, how can he stand up to UMNO’s corruption and political dominance that denies equal political rights, equal economic opportunities and socio-economic justice. Koh should explain his double standards and inconsistency of fighting corruption when he can support BN leaders associated with corruption. How he can talk of political morality and ethics but yet support the UMNO and BN candidate for Bagan Pinang who was suspended for money politics in UMNO and described as unsuitable by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad?

*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General & Penang Chief Minister; Member of Parliament for Bagan