Denying its cowardice, the DAP stalwart backed down a day after saying he would take on the challenge from Najib to a debate.
DAP’s Lim Kit Siang has today retracted his agreement to debate scandal-plagued Datuk Seri Najib Razak, citing fears that the event may be turned into an ethnic conflict.
The Iskandar Puteri MP cited what he claimed was an “avalanche of advice” from Malaysians in the last 48 hours telling him not to proceed with the debate, as well as the likelihood that the debate would be turned into a “Malay vs Chinese conflict”.
“I have decided not to proceed with the debate with Najib,” said Lim, adding that he was aware that his decision would be greeted with the label that he is a coward.
“My 53 years of politics is an open book for Malaysians to judge whether I am a coward or not, and I am always prepared to subject myself to the judgement of Malaysians,” he said.