Anwar’s ‘strategic bluff’ to confuse rivals

The opposition leader claims 'sentimental' reason for wanting to defend his 'personal fiefdom'.

PERMATANG PAUH: In the end, it was a game of “political bluff”: Oppostion Leader Anwar Ibrahim did a U-turn and said he would defend his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in the upcoming general election.

Local PKR leaders said it was Anwar’s strategic “bluff” to confuse his rivals, but the PKR supremo
claimed “sentimental” reasons for his decision to stay put in Permatang Pauh.

At first Anwar has said he would be contesting in Perak to strengthen Pakatan Rakyat’s chances of capturing federal power.

Then later, he announced that former First Admiral (Rtd) Imran Abd Hamid would be the party candidate for Lumut.

Anwar said last night that he would have to repay his gratitude to Permatang Pauh folks for being with him through thick and thin all this while.

“After a series of meetings with the people in Permatang Pauh, they made it clear that they want me to defend the seat here.

“I feel grateful for their deeds and contributions,” he said.

But the truth, according to PKR observers, is that Anwar was always going to contest Permatang Pauh.

There was no way Anwar would have abandoned his personal fiefdom, which he first won in 1982 as a young Barisan Nasional candidate from Umno.

Over the past few days, local PKR grassroots leaders have been smiling when they were asked, “Is Anwar going to Perak?”

“No lah,” has been their answer.

They said the “tribal king” would never leave his kingdom where he had built his political career.

“It was Anwar’s bluff. He just wanted to divert attention, I think,” a PKR member said.

“He will ‘lawan tetap lawan’ [fight and fight] until the end in Permatang Pauh. It’s his home and the constituents are like his family.

“No way he will abandon them,” he said.

Tougher fight

Anwar was Permatang Pauh MP until he was sacked from Umno in 1998.

His wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail won the seat in 1999 and 2004 general elections as Anwar was in jail.

Wan Azizah won again in 2008 as her husband was not eligible to contest.

But a few months later, Wan Azizah resigned as MP to pave the way for a by-election in August, 2008, which Anwar won in style with a thumping majority of 15,671 votes against nearest rival BN’s candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah from Umno.

Anwar drew 31,195 votes against Ariff ‘s 15,524, while relatively unknown Hanafi Hamat from Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) lost his RM15,000 deposit with a mere 92 votes.

This time, though, Anwar may face a tougher contest as Umno was widely expected to field a former state PAS leader and Telekom Malaysia general manager Mazlan Ismail.

Local man Mazlan was also PAS election director for Penang in 2004.
He is said not to be a typical Umno man and gives sermons in mosques. Most importantly, local Umno members support him.

Even some PKR politicians admitted that Mazlan would be a credible candidate.

“But Anwar should triumph,” they said confidently.

Later at a late rally in Pongsu Seribu, Sungai Ara, Anwar also announced the party’s two parliamentary candidates – Sim Tze Tzin, 37, for Bayan Baru and Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, 47, for Balik Pulau.

Out-going Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim is the party’s Bayan Baru division chief while Bakhtiar is its permanent chairman.

With the announcement, PKR has completed candidature for its four federal seats in Penang.

Two months ago, he announced state PKR chairman and out-going Deputy Chief Minister (I) Mansor Othman as Nibong Tebal candidate.

In 2008, then PKR state chief Zahrain Md Hashim, and lawyers Yusmadi Yusoff and Tan Tee Beng won Bayan Baru, Balik Pulau and Nibong Tebal respectively.

Zahrain and Tan have since left the party, and Yusmadi was dropped this time.