Huge Crowd At Lembah Pantai Ceramah Says It All For Pak Lah

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 (Bernama) -- The relatively huge crowd at Pantai Dalam despite the evening thunderstorm says it all Monday night -- Pak Lah is the Prime Minister for all. Despite the heavy downpour just after the Isyak prayers, more than 6,000 residents and Barisan Nasional supporters ranging from year-old toddlers to 80-year old or more grandfathers and mothers braved the cold winds, and soggy and muddy ground to hear or catch a glimpse of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on his campaign trail.
Malay mak ciks in baju kurungs, Indian grandmothers in saris and Chinese housewives in everyday clothes craned their necks along with enthusiastic BN supporters sporting BN caps, jackets and badges as they took shelter in the make-shift sheds amidst the thunderstorm. And they were not disappointed in the end as the Prime Minister pledged more development for the area.
Pantai Dalam is part of the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency where BN's Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil will defend her seat for the fourth term. Her challengers this time are Nurul Izzah Anwar, the 27 year-old eldest daughter of Keadilan's adviser, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and Periasamy Nagarathnam, a independent candidate who broke ranks from the MIC in 2000.
Abdullah, who was accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, was mobbed by the residents when he finished his speech.
"Wow! We love you Pak Lah" a twenty-something woman screamed. "Thank you for coming!"
Another said, "We like him because he speaks from his heart."
His sheer presence was enough to elicit a lot of goodwill from the residents and voters. The fact that he took a good 15 minutes to move just 20 metres to get into car speaks a lot of the peoples love and reverence for him amidst shouts of "Hidup Pak Lah" at Pantai Dalam's new housing scheme for the poor.
After the euphoria, Shahrizat did not lose time in making a walkabout in the area to greet already decided voters and potential supporters still hanging out at motorcycle workshops, sundry shops and warungs.

tunku: a sure BIG win for bn and pak lah, worry not. why the reporter did not interview me?