GEORGE TOWN: The debate between state executive councillor in charge of Works, Public Utilities and Transportation, Lim Hock Seng, and Gerakan secretary-general, Datuk Liang Teck Meng, will be held at the Masyarakat Penyayang Complex hall, here, at 9 pm on June 28.
The chief minister’s political secretary, Wong Hon Wai, said both sides agreed that the debate titled, “Three Expressways and Undersea Tunnel“, would be conducted in the national language.
“We have held a coordination meeting to which YB Liang had sent a representative to discuss on the debate programme. There will be speeches by the two debaters, followed by a question-and-answer session and winding-up speeches.
“I’ve also suggested a question-and answer session with the public but YB Liang disagreed. However, I hope he will reconsider this,” he said at a press conference, here, today.
On June 11, Liang had stated his wish to debate on the Penang undersea tunnel issue after Lim rejected the offer to debate on the same issue from Penang Gerakan Youth acting chief, Jason Loo.
Loo had invited Lim for a debate on the issue the same day but the latter failed to turn up, claiming that all the questions posed on the issue had been answered, so there was no need for a debate on it.
Wong said lawyer Lee Khai would be the moderator for the upcoming debate which was expected to take two hours.
He said they (organisers) had also requested Liang to arrange for the debate to be broadcast live on television.
“I don’t know yet whether a live television broadcast of the debate is possible or not,” he added.
He advised members of the public who wish to attend the debate to come early as the complex hall can only accommodate 500 people.
He said a large screen would be put up outside the hall to enable those who could not enter due to full capacity, to follow the debate. --BERNAMA