Permatang Pauh: It's a three cornered fight

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Permatang Pauh by-election campaign kicked off in earnest with four candidates submitting their papers at the nomination centre here on Saturday morning.
PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim submitted his at about 9.15am, while his "challenger" Seberang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah submitted his about 15 minutes earlier.
Arrayed against them in the by-election battle royale are Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) candidate Hanafi Hamat and independent candidate Dr Mansor Othman, former Penang PKR leader.
Arif Shah, who arrived at the nomination centre at 8.42am, was accompanied by Barisan Nasional leaders Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat, Wanita MCA chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and others.
Anwar was accompanied by his wife, PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and other party leaders.
Thousands of supporters of both candidates had been gathering since 6am, crowding the field and forcing roads leading to the centre to be closed. The FRU has been called in and a police helicopter was seen flying over the field.
The Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat was made vacant on July 31 when Dr Wan Azizah resigned as Member of Parliament to make way for Anwar to contest.
Polling day is on Aug 26.

Shouts of liwat vs reformasi
11.45am Three-way contest it is! Returning officer Roslan Yahya announces a three-cornered fight for Permatang Pauh - PKR's Anwar Ibrahim, BN's Arif Shah Omar Shah and Akim's Hanafi Hamat. As expected, PKR's 'spare tyre' Dr Mansor Othman withdrew,

11.40am It is drawing near to be a three-cornered fight bewteen BN, Pakatan and Akim. Dr Mansor is expected to withdraw his candidacy shortly.

11.15am It is now learnt that Akim candidate Hanafi Hamat is president of the party. Akim was formed in 1995 and had contested two seats, Pasir Mas and Kota Baru, in the 1999 general election but was defeated.

11am Objection period is over. EC officials will now study the objections made - in this case only the three by the BN - and is expected to officially announce the candidates at 12pm.

10.55am A slight tension arose when a BN supporter taunted the Pakatan supporters by showing off his back. The supporter was however immediately ‘advised' by the police to stop his act.

At about the same time, some 40 FRU personnel placed themselves between BN and Pakatan supporters. They however left the seen in a short while.

10.45am Nurul Izzah and sisters go to the field to meet supporters and were met with loud cheers.

10.40am BN submits three protest forms to the returning officer.

10.25am Permatang Pauh PKR election director Mustapha Kamal Yusuf confirms that Dr Mansor is a 'spare tyre' and will withdraw once Anwar's nomination is accepted.

10.23am PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat is said to be unwell and is sitting outside the centre near an ambulance. Anwar approaches the Kelantan Menteri Besar to have a word with him.

10.20am PKR veep Azmin Ali confirms that Dr Mansor is still a PKR member. According to Azmin, Mansor is the PKR election bureau deputy chief. Sources indicate that Mansor may withdraw his candidacy at the last minute.

10.10am Lim Guan Eng tells reporters outside nomination centre, "we have our candidate Anwar; whether we will complete this process of transformation will be determined by Permatang Pauh voters. They not only decide for themselves but for 27 million Malaysians."

10am NOMINATION PERIOD ENDS. An hour-long protest period follows now.

9.55am Hanafi completes his nomination. Five more minutes for the end of nomination process

9.45am Hanafi submits papers as a Akim candidate.

9.40am Mansor's submission ends. He is on an independent ticket. Hanafi awaits his turn.

9.30am Independent candidate, former Penang PKR leader Dr Mansor Othman , enters nomination centre and readies to submit his papers

9.23am Potential Akim (Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia) candidate Hanafi Hamat, 61, arrives at nomination centre. Still uncertain whether he will submit his nomination paper.

9.20am Outside, PKR suporters chant Saiful penipu, tangkap boleh boleh (Saiful is a liar, catch him). One group start calling, "Najib", another respond with "Altantuya".

9.15am Anwar submits nomination paper.

9.08am Anwar enters nomination centre with proposer and seconder after hugging Azizah, daughter and other PKR leaders.

9.05am 'I feel good', Anwar replies when asked by Malaysiakini how he felt about contesting again after 10 years in hiatus.

9.03am Arif Shah Omar Shah submits his nomination paper.

9.00am Nomination is from 9am to 10am, followed by a one-hour objection period. If everything is in order, the returning officer will announce the names of candidates and declare that the by-election is on after the objection period.

8.50pm BN crowd start jeering liwat, tetap liwat (sodomise, still sodomise) while the bigger Pakatan group respond with loud cries of Reformasi.

8.40am Anwar Ibrahim arrives, accompanied by Dr Wan Azizah, Nurul Izzah and other key leaders, to the chants of Reformasi. Anwar was in light blue baju melayu. He is seen happily waving and chatting with supporters.

8.30am BN candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah, in yellow baju melayu, arrives. BN marchers were led by Najib, Mohd Ali Rustam, Hishamuddin Hussein, Samy Vellu, Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Liow Tiong Lai and others.

8.25am Pakatan supporters swell to 10,000. They virtually fill up the field allocated for them near the nomination centre.

8.15am Lim Guan Eng and DAP leaders arrive. There are multi-cultural performances at PKR's side, including traditional Chinese lion dance and Indian orami melum to greet supporters.

8.12am 60 FRU men stand guard at the entrance and inside the gates of nomination centre. The teachers training college (Maktab Penguruan Tuanku Bainun) looks like a fortress.

7.55am A BN car convoy, including DPM Najib's car, booed by Pakatan supporters when they enter through the Jalan Kubang Semang-Mengkuang designated for the opposition.

7.54am Supporters from the two camps enter via different routes. Nomination centre is located just outside the Butterworth-Kulim expressway. Orderly entrance seen at this stage, crowd seem well behaved.

7.45am BN and Pakatan supporters, estimated at 5,000, present. Pakatan crowd outnumber BN's. Some PKR people spotted with Anwar's masks. 'Harapan Baru untuk Malaysia' placards seen all over the Pakatan group.

7.37am Police helicopter hovering above. Road blocks, traffic jam. Supporters from both camps, carrying banners and flags, start to swell.

7.25am People start arriving at Maktab Penguruan Tuanku Bainun, the nomination centre. Heavy police presence sighted in and around the centre.

tunku : so the pkr is not confident after all.that is why they ask two independence to join in,well one is a spare tyre for anwar as claimed by azmin. i thought anwar is very confident. after all he wants to be the pm. some says that TG Nik Aziz can't stand the heat to walk beside anwar, i wonder why??? so at last, its confirmed 3 corner fight.