Former Umno leader Puad Zarkashi has accused Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi of avoiding political debates with his opponents, including Pakatan Harapan candidate Maszlee Malik.
In a Facebook post, Puad claimed that while serving as Johor State Assembly Speaker, Onn Hafiz had instructed him not to allow a debate on a proposed constitutional amendment involving the appointment of assemblymen.
According to Puad, the proposed debate would have featured two representatives from the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club and two members of the opposition.
Puad said he questioned the decision, arguing that the government already held a two-thirds majority in the state assembly and should have had no difficulty passing the amendment.
He alleged that Onn Hafiz told him he was concerned the debate would be used by the opposition to criticise the Bantuan Kasih Johor programme.
Puad further claimed that Onn Hafiz had on several occasions requested shorter oral question sessions and reduced debate time during state assembly sittings, requests which he said he refused.
He argued that cutting debate time would be unfair to assemblymen who had prepared questions and would undermine the dignity of the legislative assembly, describing oral question sessions as the cornerstone of parliamentary accountability.
The former Rengit assemblyman also criticised Onn Hafiz’s recent rejection of a public debate with former education minister Maszlee Malik, who is contesting the Puteri Wangsa seat under Pakatan Harapan.
Responding to Onn Hafiz’s remark that public debates were “not the Johor way”, Puad disagreed, saying Johor’s political culture should instead embrace civil and respectful debate conducted without shouting or booing.
He said a public debate would give voters the opportunity to evaluate political leaders directly and suggested that Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh could represent Barisan Nasional if Onn Hafiz chose not to participate.
Puad also declared that he was personally willing to debate Onn Hafiz if the Menteri Besar continued to decline a face-to-face discussion with Maszlee.
The latest criticism follows a series of public attacks by Puad against Onn Hafiz.
Before leaving Umno on June 25, the former Umno Supreme Council member described the Johor Menteri Besar as a “yes man”.
Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki later alleged that Puad had threatened to resign from the party and publicly criticise its leadership if his son was not selected as a candidate in the upcoming Johor state election.
