DEBATE: ALL SEATS SOLD OUT

By : REGINA LEE

KUALA LUMPUR: All seats are already sold out for the much-anticipated second outing in the debate between MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.

Debate organiser Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) said all 500 tickets allocated to the public had been snapped up within two weeks of it being sold at RM88 a piece.

Although Asli had previously said there would be no question and answer session with the audience, participants would still be able to get their queries across in written form.

"They can write a question targeted at both debaters, which will be put in a box to be picked randomly by the moderator and the debaters," said Asli chief of strategy and programme director Ng Yeen Seen in a press conference Wednesday.

She also announced that Dr Chua had picked Housing and Local Government minister Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung as one of the debate panelists while Lim picked DAP party organ chief editor Wan Hamidi Hamid.

Political analyst from Monash University Dr James Chin will meanwhile make the third independent panelist. All panelists will be allowed to pose questions to the debaters.

Themed "DAP & MCA: Whose Policies Benefit the Community Better?" The parameters of the debate will touch on education, healthcare, economic prosperity, community service, national unity, public welfare and poverty elevation.

"Our last debate became too political. This time, we want to focus solely on policy," said Ng.

The debate will be on Sunday in the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre at 2.30pm. Doors will be open from 1.30pm until 2.10pm.