Nazri debate with Tun M not publicity stunt

PADANG RENGAS: The debate with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, expected to be held on April 7, is not a cheap publicity stunt, says Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.
He said the objective of the debate between him and the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman is to defend Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak against Mahathir's negative remarks.
He added that it had nothing to do with political mileage and he was not seeking cheap publicity.
"I don't need that because I am already famous ... people know me. Just search my name on the Internet and you will find a lot of news about me. I don't need this debate to make a name (for myself) and I am not young any more. I am a 63-year-old man," said Nazri, who is also Padang Rengas MP.
Speaking to the press after opening the Umno Padang Rengas meeting, he said the debate will touch on issues including the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) and others.
The debate was scheduled for last Saturday at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Sultan Azlan Shah in Kuala Kangsar but police called it off due to public safety concerns.
Nazri and Mahathir went ahead with their meeting but over laksa and cendol.
The April 7 debate is expected to be held at the Karangkraf headquarters in Shah Alam at 8.30pm.
Acting Perak police chief DCP Datuk Hasnan Hassan said the Kuala Kangsar district police had studied the application and felt it was not in the best interest of the people there.
He said on Tuesday in a statement that the organiser was late in submitting the application, and only did so on March 20 at 3pm and it fell short of the 10-day requirement as required under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
Nazri had criticised the decision by the police and said the reasons given by Hasnan for rejecting the organiser's application for a permit were unreasonable.