ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 4 — MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong today told DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to be a man and stand by his claims by agreeing to a debate on Sunday.

Wee said he was serious about the challenge after Lim claimed that the MCA president had not contributed towards the construction of SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao in Seri Austin, Johor Baru.

“You (Lim) made an allegation regarding the issue of MCA not raising funds for Chinese schools and I want to prove you wrong,” said Wee.

“I am a man, and I won’t run, Guan Eng. Show your political guts. I’m serious about this.”

The Ayer Hitam MP pointed out that he took Lim’s allegations seriously.

Wee explained that when Lim’s party said something wrong, he was duty-bound to speak up from the opposing side.

“For that, I want to teach you a lesson. If you fail to substantiate your claims, will you still talk?” questioned Wee.

He made the comments after a ceremony marking Sunway Group’s donation of RM18 million to build the first public Chinese national-type primary school called SJK (C) Cheah Fah in Sunway City Iskandar Puteri here today.

SJK (C) Cheah Fah is the first new Chinese school to be built in Johor in the past 20 years, as well as one of the first Chinese primary schools that was approved by the Education Ministry in 2017.

Also present was Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Mah Hang Soon and SJK (C) Cheah Fah building committee chairman Datuk Steve Ching Yoon On.

On the proposed debate, Wee said he did not mind personally footing the RM4,500 bill to rent the Johor Baru Tiong Hua Federation Hall for the face-off on Sunday at 2pm.

“I am OK with (DAP’a Kulai MP) Teo Nie Ching coming, but Lim must also come. If both can come, I don’t have an issue,” said Wee.

“For the time being, I take it as ‘party boss vs party boss’. Lim must be responsible and not chicken out at the last minute.”

He added that Lim would be stepping down as party secretary-general on March 20 during DAP’s annual general meeting; hence, it would be best to have the debate by Sunday.

“I want to fight Lim bare-knuckled and knock him out within 20 minutes. You can’t run forever,” said Wee.

Tensions between MCA and DAP have been simmering even before campaigning for the Johor state election began, after Wee challenged Teo, a former deputy education minister, to a debate last month.

Wee issued the challenge during an MCA anniversary dinner in Yong Peng, Johor, on February 25 and Teo immediately accepted, stating that she would be happy to debate the MCA president who suggested a topic on Chinese education.

However, Wee later sidestepped Teo and turned his attention to Lim as DAP’s party boss instead.

MCA will be contesting 15 state seats in the Johor state polls on March 12.

In the previous general election in 2018, the Barisan Nasional (BN) component party did not secure any state seats.

Johor has 56 state constituencies, with more than 2.59 million voters who are eligible to cast their ballots in this state election. The Election Commission is targeting a 70 per cent voter turnout.

Early voting is on March 8 while polling is on March 12.