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(The Star) - The invitation from PAS Youth to Umno Youth for an intellectual discourse must not be seen as mere discussion but rather a platform for debate.
PAS Youth vice-chief Ahmad Sabki Yusof said the wing was still backing the party and Pakatan Rakyat’s decision to reject any form of co-operation with Umno. “We are offering this debate platform to prove that all Malaysians must reject Umno’s struggle,” he said in a press conference at the party’s headquarters here yesterday. “Some members of the media misconstrued our invitation to Umno Youth and implied it is a dialogue or negotiation,” he said, adding that the invitation was concurrent with PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s debate challenge to the Prime Minister. Ahmad Sabki said wing chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi did not use the term “debate” because Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin did not respond to his earlier invitations. Nasrudin was said to have invited Khairy for a debate three times previously. “Hence, Nasrudin is proposing the debate under the name ‘intellectual discourse’,” he said. According to the invitation letter, PAS have urged that the discourse with the suggested topic “Is Umno’s Struggle Contradicting Islam?” be made open to the public. Ahmad Sabki also said that Umno Youth must reply within seven days. Umno Puteri chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said she hoped the invitation was sincere and not be a chance to find faults.
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