KUALA LUMPUR: The recently-cancelled debate between former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz could be held in Antarctica.

“The penguins there don’t understand the Malay or English language, so there won’t be a riot,” said Nazri.

He cheekily told reporters at the Parliament media centre here on Monday that Antarctica, London or Greenland could be venues for the debate between him and Dr Mahathir.

Nazri added that he has no idea why police revoked the permit for his much-anticipated debate with former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but said that it could be because of his “gangster” look.

“I don’t think they cancelled the event because of Dr Mahathir. I think the reason was me. Mahathir is very frail and he’s not a threat at all. So the reason behind this could be me. Perhaps I look like a gangster,” said Nazri.

The debate between the two politicians was originally scheduled to be held at the Sultan Azlan Shah Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) on March 25, but was postponed because the organiser, Malay daily Sinar Harian, had not applied for a police permit.

The rescheduled event was slated to be held on April 7 at the Karangkraf Media Group auditorium in Shah Alam, Selangor, and it was initially given the green light, but police later revoked the permit, citing a “credible threat to national security.

Nazri said if he was indeed a “threat to national security,” the debate could instead be held at the police auditorium in Cheras.

“I was told that the hall is quite big, maybe the police could host this debate instead,” he said.-thestar