9.00am VIDEO INSETED UPDATE 2 BERAPIT, Penang - It is not longer quiet and cool now at the Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara in Berapit, Penang where Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has arrived in style, shortly before 9am, to file his nomination papers for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.
A crowd of about 5,000 supporters from all three Pakatan Rakyat parties of PKR, PAS and DAP greeted the 64-year-old as he stepped up to defend the seat, which many Malaysians hope will provide the spring board for him to lead the Opposition into achieving Malaysia's first-ever change in federal government.
"We are ready to take in the papers of whomsoever wishes to contest," Election Commission's returning officer Jusni Ismail told Malaysia Chronicle outside the IKBN hall, which is due to be opened at 9am to receive submissions.
"At 10am, we will stop accepting nomination papers and around 10.30am, God willing, we should be able to announce the candidates."
The IKBN center is also where nomination papers for 3 state seats will be processed - Penanti, Permatang Pasir and Seberang Jaya.
Anwar, the adviser of the People's Justice Party or PKR, is due to face off with BN candidate Mazlan Ismail, an engineer and vice president with Telekom Malaysia Bhd. Mazlan is also a former PAS member.
Umno sex blogger Papagomo, who has declared intentions to fight Anwar in the latter's Permatang Pauh stronghold, is not expected to turn up.
Papagomo has launched several videos on his website that PKR leaders have condemned as gutter politicking and a "barefaced" bid by Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party to tarnish Anwar's credibility.
Anwar the focus
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, is rated by many as having a better than even chance of forming the next federal government. He is expected to steamroll his way to a landslide victory in Permatang Pauh.
If his Pakatan Rakyat coalition (consisting of PKR, PAS and DAP) also wins more than half of the federal Parliament's 222 seats, he will become Malaysia's 7th prime minister and go down in history as the first leader from the Opposition to ever effect a regime change.
Due to the latest dispute over the DAP's legitimacy to use its traditional 'Rocket' logo in the the May 5 general election, many pundits believe the odds have shifted further to Anwar's favour.
This despite a late announcement from the Registrar of Societies that finally confirmed it would not challenge the DAP's use of the Rocket symbol in the balloting papers although there is an ongoing dispute over the legitimacy of the party's office bearers.
"It is too late. The way the ROS and Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration handled the issue stinks to high heaven. Few voters doubt there was an attempt to shackle the DAP and the sympathy votes will flow to the Pakatan," Eddie Wong, a PKR veteran told Malaysia Chronicle.
A tough fight promised
However, Umno leaders have vowed to give a tough fight.
“When he (Mazlan) is ready to fight (in Permatang Pauh), it’s like (Anwar) meeting his match. He is highly qualified, while his strong religious spirit and being a PAS leader before will definitely gain him sympathy from some of the PAS people and the fence-sitters," Sidek Baba, a senior lecturer from the International Islamic University, had told Bernama last week.
“All these (factors) may give him (Mazlan) some advantage. It is a wise decision to send the best candidate there to face a leader who desperately wants to become prime minister."
GE13 off to a spirited welcome
Be that as it may, supporters from both camps are building up outside the IKBN compound. The PKR camp, cheerily decorated with flags including those of coalition mates DAP and PAS, is already a hive of activity, with party workers busily assembling their supporters.
Directly opposite is the BN camp, which is no less busy or less decorated with their trademark blue 'dacing'(weighing scales) flags and banners.
Police personnel and RELA volunteers are also present in fairly large numbers.
"We hope that everything will run smoothly. Any disturbance outside will be controlled by the police," said Jusni.
MORE TO COME
Malaysia Chronicle
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