KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accepted a challenge by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to debate on financially-troubled Sapura Energy Bhd.
In a statement today, Anwar said he is ready for the debate while challenging Najib to "enter the ring" if the latter dared to.
This came after PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli issued a debate challenge to Najib, which the latter accepted.
However, Najib said he would only participate in the debate if Rafizi's "boss", Anwar, joined too.
"I take note of the challenge issued by Najib. My stand is clear and has not changed since more than 10 years ago when I issued a similar (debate) challenge to him, which went unheeded.
"Now, he chooses to challenge me during early Ramadan, after failing to answer Rafizi's rebuttals on the issue of Sapura's 'bail out' at a time when poor and small traders are not cared for.
"I am ready to face (the challenge) and debate with Najib at any given time for the sake of the country and the people," he said.
Government-linked company Sapura had announced a loss of RM8.9 billion last year, which Najib said was the largest for any Malaysian GLC in history.
The company had received large investments from state-owned Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PNB), which holds a 40 per cent stake in Sapura Energy, which had increased from more than 10 per cent in 2018 as it continued to pump money into the financially-troubled firm.
However, Sapura Energy has recently required further financial help, raising questions if PNB would have to pump further funds to get the firm out of its financial issues.
Following that, Najib had called on the government to intervene by providing easy interest loans or loan guarantees to Sapura to solve its cash flow problems.
Alternatively, Najib said Putrajaya could direct Petronas or Khazanah Nasional Bhd to take over ownership of Sapura, citing how Petronas still required Sapura's services for its projects and had a better understanding of the sector.
However, Rafizi said this would only benefit a "handful of elites", adding that the money used to bail out the ailing oil and gas company could be put to better use to serve Malaysians.