DEBATES are meant to strengthen Umno and those contesting top posts should not fear them, candidate for president Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said.

Debates should be treated positively and as a discussion about the party’s future, more so as Umno was in the Opposition now, the outgoing Youth chief said.

“The three candidates (for president) should have a positive attitude. This is not a debate with the opposition in a general election.

“Debates are not the place to expose the weaknesses of the party but the place for us to discuss the future and direction of Umno, and what our plans are, now that we are the Opposition.

“Whoever has the best plan to take Umno forward, I have a no problem with having a debate on this,” he told reporters after officiating the Rembau Umno division meeting in Senawang today.

Khairy today defended his post as deputy Rembau division chief uncontested.

Both he and another contender for the president’s post, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, have agreed to a debate which will be broadcast by Astro Awani on June 29, the eve of the party’s election for top office bearers.

However, interim president Ahmad Zahid Hamid, who is also vying for the post, has been reluctant, saying that debates were not part of Umno’s culture.

Zahid in a live broadcast on Astro Awani finally said he would agree to one if it was held at his home base in Bagan Datuk.

Khairy said debates in the party should be held in the spirit of a family discussion.

The Rembau MP sprang a surprise at the close of nominations last Sunday when he filed his candidacy for the top post after saying earlier that he would only contest for a vice-president’s seat.

Khairy and Umno Youth were the first in the party to call for internal reforms after Umno’s trouncing in the 14th general election.

In an interview, he also admitted that failure to call out former party president and prime minister Najib Razak for his alleged corruption scandals had led to Umno’s loss of power. – June 23, 2018