KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani rejected his contender Khalid Samad of Pakatan Harapan (PH) invitation to debate on the future and survival on Malaysia youths.

Johari instead turned the tables on the Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) communication director asking the latter his contribution to help the youngsters in Shah Alam when he was the member of parliament there.

The former second finance minister told a news portal that his campaigning schedule was too packed and that he was not interested to debate with Khalid.

"For three terms he was the elected representative in Shah Alam, what has he done (for the) youths? 

"Nothing… so there is no need (to debate)," he reportedly said.

Johari said he would rather engage in a debate with PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or his deputy Rafizi Ramli.

The debate was scheduled to be held at 8.30pm tonight in Kelab Sultan Sulaiman.

Johari is facing Khalid, former Federal Territories Minister, dentist Dr Rosni Adam from Perikatan Nasional, and businessman turned politician Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan of Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang).

In the 13th General Election, Johari won the seat by garnering 23,034 votes and a 866-vote majority against Pas' Ahmad Zamri Asa'ad Khuzami.

In the 2018 general election, the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat was won by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's Srikandi leader, Datuk Seri Rina Harun, who at the time contested under PH banner and won with a majority of 4,139 votes, defeating Johari and Pas candidate Mohamad Noor Mohamad.

Rina is now Perikatan Nasional's (PN) candidate for Sepang.