Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan today warned Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng not to backtrack from their planned debate over the Taman Manggis land controversy.

This came after Lim was quoted by Penang government organ Bulletin Mutiara as saying that he will give Rahman until next Saturday (April 16) to debate him.

Rahman had left for an official overseas trip and will only return to the country on April 18.

"Are you backtracking? Please don't put lame conditions just to backtrack. Penang people want to hear the debate!

"The issues won't go away even after the 16th. Why put conditions on the debate?

Why (do) you want to make it difficult?" Rahman said in a series of Twitter postings.

Lim in the report said he was disappointed that Rahman was leaving for overseas after agreeing on the debate.

"I accepted his challenge on Thursday (April 7), he said he can't wait for it, then now he is going overseas. I feel like being played.

"I hope he can come back as soon as possible. Don't run overseas," he was quoted as saying.

Lim claimed that he had previously cut short his trip to China to face Rahman when the latter raised the issue of affordable housing in Parliament.

However, Rahman scoffed at this, claiming that Lim only returned as the Penang government's reputation was at stake.

"You didn't come back to face me. You came back because the scandal had escalated and rocked your government," he added.