The Penang chief minister said it was only fitting for him to debate Liow instead of MCA number two Wee Ka Siong, who had issued the challenge, based on the principle of political protocol.
He pointed out how he had accepted a challenge from former MCA president Chua Soi Lek to a debate in 2012.
“I took him up on the challenge because Chua was the president, not the number two man,” Lim said in response to Wee, who had called the DAP secretary-general a coward for not accepting his recent debate challenge.
“I have been secretary-general of the DAP since 2005.
“So, I would like to remind Wee, if his former president Chua can respect this basic fact, do not show your lack of respect for your opponent or your party president.
“If I were to follow Wee’s ways, I will challenge Prime Minister Najib Razak.
“But we respect him as PM, so if anyone were to debate Najib, it should be Pakatan Harapan’s prime ministerial candidate Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” Lim said.
He added that having “fought Umno and BN”, being detained as well as being imprisoned twice in the past, it didn’t matter to him if Wee called him a coward.
Lim was referring to when he was jailed under the now repealed Internal Security Act (ISA) in 1988 and again in 1998 after having been found guilty of spreading allegations that former Melaka chief minister Rahim Tamby Chik had raped an underage girl.
On a different note, Lim’s political secretary Wong Hon Wai said a special announcement would be made this Sunday during the 10th anniversary celebrations of the federal opposition winning Penang in the 2008 general election.
He said it will be held at the Esplanade, George Town from 7pm, with all Pakatan Harapan leaders expected to be present.