Anwar challenges PM and DPM to debate on fuel prices

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has challenged the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to a live debate on July 15 to discuss how to tackle the oil crisis and reduce petrol and diesel prices.
He said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak kept saying that there was no way that fuel prices could come down in view of the high global oil price.
"They don't know how to bring down the prices. I am prepared to take on the Prime Minister and the deputy Prime Minister and even the whole cabinet to debate the matter live on television," he said at a protest rally at the Kelana Jaya stadium Sunday night.
The de facto leader of PKR is already slated to debate the issue live with Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek on July 15.
Anwar said the Prime Minister should not give excuses why his government had to hike up the prices drastically.
"I challenge him to a debate. There are some people who ask me: Anwar, are you sure you can conclusively bring down fuel prices? My answer is yes," he said.
He repeated his belief that if Pakatan Rakyat were to take over the country tomorrow, it would be able to bring down the oil prices the following day.
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said in his speech earlier that the increase in petrol and diesel price had trigged a total crisis of confidence in the leadership of Barisan Nasional.
He said Pak Lah's government had pledged reforms in the police, judiciary and the anti-corruption agency but so far nothing had come out of it.
He said the proposal for the judicial commission was still hanging in the air, while the proposal to set up independent police conduct and misconduct commission (IPCMC) had fallen into deaf ears and it questionable how independent the proposed anti-corruption commission would really be.
"Last time too, there was corruption but at least things got done. But now there is still corruption but the difference is that things do not get done," he said.
Lim hoped the message at the gathering would get across to the Barisan government.
At the end of the event, a man who tried to climb on stage when Anwar was delivering his speech was cornered and beaten up by supporters. The man was said to have shouted out Anwar's name before attempting to get close to the leader who was on his way out.

tunku : if anwar has ways than i'm sure other countries would have use his service to bring the price down.anyway why challenging when there's already a debate between you and shabery set on 15th July 08. trying to divert again.pity the man who tried to climb on the stage, he must be die hard supporter/fan of anwar.