CARETAKER prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said he would rather spend time looking after the people’s interests than participating in debates, which would not produce any useful results.

He said this was what happened in the debates between Anwar Ibrahim and former information minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek, and between Anwar and former prime minister Najib Razak in May.

“I have said this kind of debate does not bring any benefit. This person brings along his supporters, that person also brings his, and the supporters cheer in the hall. That’s it,” he told reporters after attending a Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) feast in conjunction with the Pahang-level Keluarga Malaysia Aspirations tour at Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah in Kuantan today.

“We in the government do more than just debating. We make sure what is planned and announced is implemented. If there are problems like increase in cost of living, we will work out ways to ease the people’s burden.

“The government has a lot of work to do, and we do not just talk but also take action.”

Also present were caretaker defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein, caretaker Pahang menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali.

Ismail said this stand is different from that of the opposition, who could just indulge in talking without the need to implement what it said.

“They do not have to implement because they are not obligated to do what they talk about since they are not the government. But we (government) must implement what we promise,” he said.

Ismail said this when asked to comment on Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that he was prepared to debate with any prime minister candidate of other parties in the run-up to the November 19 general election.

Anwar, who is Pakatan Harapan chairman, had proposed at a ceramah in Temerloh recently that a debate be held among the prime minister candidates of the three major coalitions in the country. – Bernama, October 29, 2022.