AFTER failing to bring Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister Najib Razak together on stage two years ago, the youth wing of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is now adamant on getting both leaders to debate publicly within the next month.

Bersatu’s youth wing, Armada, chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said Dr Mahathir had agreed to it and it is now up to Najib to take up the challenge in the event modelled after the “Nothing to Hide” forum.

That forum, organised on June 5, 2015, was called off at the 11th hour on the advice of police, citing security concerns.

It was supposed to be a no-holds barred debate between Dr Mahathir and Najib. The former was at the event, but Najib did not show up.

Dr Mahathir then went up stage to speak to the crowd but was stopped by police halfway through his speech and escorted down.

“We will send an official letter to the Prime Minister’s Office soon,  and we will give Najib two weeks to reply,” Syed Saddiq said at Bersatu’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

He said even if the prime minister does not reply, the event would go ahead as scheduled.

“We have notified Dr Mahathir of the programme, and he will attend,” he said. 

Syed Saddiq said the venue of the dialogue would be confirmed once Najib replies to the invitation, and that a permit application would submited to the police within a fortnight.

“We challenge Dr Mahathir and Najib to attend and answer some ‘hot and stinging’ questions that people want to ask.”

Earlier, Syed Saddiq said a statement issued by one of Armada’s executive councillor’s, Hafiz Azhar, asking Dr Mahathir to explain the wealth of his children, was not an official stand of the party.

He said Hafiz would be referred to the party’s disciplinary body.

“We will not expel him from the party or accuse his action of being orchestrated by Barisan Nasional.

“We do not bring in Umno’s culture, and Armada celebrates differences of opinion. But these should be aired at the proper platform.” 

This would be the third attempt to organise a Nothing to Hide event, which has seen a disparate cast of organisers holding programmes that often ended in a fracas.  

The first Nothing to Hide event was held on June 5, 2015, but Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar ordered the event to be cancelled, citing security fears.

Two days before the dialogue, it was reported that Najib had agreed to attend the event, which was organised by the Malaysian Volunteer Lawyers Association (SukaGuam). 

About 1,500 people from various interest groups were set to attend the programme, and they would get to ask questions regarding Najib’s leadership of the government.

At a time when news about 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s troubles were already circulating in the media, SukaGuam’s chairman,  Khairul Anwar Rahmat had said the event would be a “two-way dialogue” where the prime minister would answer any queries. 

He had also said no political parties were invited, but, as the event was an open forum, Dr Mahathir was invited as a representative of Yayasan Perdana.

On the day of the dialogue, IGP Khalid ordered the event’s cancellation after word went around that Dr Mahathir would attend.

The former prime minister took the stage at the Putra World Trade Centre, and, despite Najib’s no-show and Khalid’s order, Dr Mahathir voiced his displeasure at Najib’s handling of the government and the 1MDB scandal.

After six minutes, of speaking police officers moved in to stop Dr Mahathir, sparking outrage among attendees.

The second Nothing to Hide event, billed as Nothing2Hide 2.0, was organised by Jaringan Melayu Malaysia in July last year, but did not involve the Najib or Dr Mahathir.

Instead, organisers focused on  Muhyiddin Yassin and an alleged extra marital affair.

JMM claimed that Muhyiddin had agreed to attend, which the former deputy prime minster denied. 

Attendees stormed out when speakers at the event began dennouncing Muhyiddin. Many angrily claimed that the organisers had lied when the said Muhyiddin would attend. – June 11, 2017.