By-election fever ignited

BUTTERWORTH: The Permatang Pauh by-election fever ignited on Sunday night as massive crowds of supporters gathered at two separate events.

"Get down to work and don’t squander the chance to win Permatang Pauh this time" was the message by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to Penang party leaders and members.

Abdullah, who is also Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman, conveyed the message during a brief discussion with state Umno leaders while attending a wedding reception in Tasek Gelugor.

The Prime Minister also reminded Permatang Pauh Umno leaders to focus their efforts on winning the elusive parliamentary seat as this would be Barisan's fourth attempt since 1999 to wrest it from Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Also present at the discussion were Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ali Rustam, former Parti Keadilan Youth chief Mohamed Ezam Mohd Nor, state Umno liaison deputy chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah and Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid.

“We started making preparations two weeks after the March 8 general election -- Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Ismail announcing she was making way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election was not news to us," said Abdul Jalil.

“It was an open secret. Wan Azizah openly told her supporters about it during her campaign in the last election,” he added.

Abdul Jalil said a special committee on the by-election would be held Monday night.

A sort of homecoming

Another large crowd gathered at PKR's Youth wing operations centre in Taman Sama Gagah on Sunday night to welcome PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on his first appearance since he announced his candidacy for the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Shouts of “reformasi” (reformation) filled the air, but the cheering crowd quickly quieted down to hear his message.

“I sincerely say kam siah (thank you) to all Permatang Pauh voters for supporting me from 1982 up till now.

“You later supported my wife from the 1999 general election onwards and helped her win with a bigger majority in the recent general election in March.

“I appeal for your continued support to enable me to enter Parliament. If all goes well, hopefully, it would be this month,” he said in his 20-min speech.

Earlier, Wan Azizah also thanked the voters for supporting her during the last 10 years, and said it was time to move on for the good of the people.

“I am vacating my seat not for personal interests, but for our common struggle to create history in Permatang Pauh, for Anwar to lead the nation,” she said.

-thestar online