KUALA LUMPUR: Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek defended his words in the debate against PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
What he said about Anwar in Tuesday night's debate was to criticise the former deputy prime minister’s policy stance during the financial crisis in 1998, said Shabery.
"What I talked about was really his policies and his leadership record so as to question his credibility.
"I just wanted to strengthen my argument that what he says takes advantage of the people's misery which is really caused by what is going on in the world.
"Personal attacks would be more about criticising what he likes, his clothes or his face," Shabery told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Wednesay.
Shabery said Anwar was the one who personally attacked him when he brought up Semangat 46, which he used to be a member of.
Shabery said he was satisfied with his performance and had also received many SMS messages either congratulating him or attacking him.
"Some support me and some are angry with me. But that's normal."
Shabery said he was more interested that the debate was actually something which brought Malaysian democracy forward.
"It is not a question of who won or lost, but that there was a platform to put our views forward."
Shabery said debating was a good and fair way and he hoped that it would be an institutionalised part of Malaysian politics in the future.
He said this would mean the people would not look at a politician based on how much money he had, but based on his ideas and public relations skills.
He added that he did not mind a return match with Anwar on the same topic.
What he said about Anwar in Tuesday night's debate was to criticise the former deputy prime minister’s policy stance during the financial crisis in 1998, said Shabery.
"What I talked about was really his policies and his leadership record so as to question his credibility.
"I just wanted to strengthen my argument that what he says takes advantage of the people's misery which is really caused by what is going on in the world.
"Personal attacks would be more about criticising what he likes, his clothes or his face," Shabery told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Wednesay.
Shabery said Anwar was the one who personally attacked him when he brought up Semangat 46, which he used to be a member of.
Shabery said he was satisfied with his performance and had also received many SMS messages either congratulating him or attacking him.
"Some support me and some are angry with me. But that's normal."
Shabery said he was more interested that the debate was actually something which brought Malaysian democracy forward.
"It is not a question of who won or lost, but that there was a platform to put our views forward."
Shabery said debating was a good and fair way and he hoped that it would be an institutionalised part of Malaysian politics in the future.
He said this would mean the people would not look at a politician based on how much money he had, but based on his ideas and public relations skills.
He added that he did not mind a return match with Anwar on the same topic.
