KOTA KINABALU: Former chief minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh has offered himself for a public debate with Sabah STAR chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan on the latter’s recent claim that Sabah is being colonised by Kuala Lumpur.
Harris yesterday said that he opted to offer himself as it is unlikely that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman will have the time to take up Jeffrey’s recent challenge for a debate on the issue.
The debate would be in the interest of Sabahans and more importantly to correct any wrong perceptions between the State and Federal Governments, he said in a statement yesterday.
Recently, Jeffrey had made a challenge to Musa for a public debate on the issue that Sabah is being colonised by Kuala Lumpur.
On the terms and conditions of the debate, Harris said it can be held at any time and place in Sabah, and suggested it should be an open debate.
He proposed that former state secretary Tan Sri Hamid Egoh and former state attorney-general Tan Sri Herman Luping as the moderators for the debate.
Harris also asked Jeffrey to prepare a list of evidences that Kuala Lumpur is colonising Sabah and added that the debate will be confined to and based on Jeffrey’s contention and evidences.
Harris said he was hoping that Jeffrey would accept his offer as soon as possible so that they could arrange to meet for details discussion on the proposed debate.