MERDEKA - DATUK SERI ANWAR'S THEME FOR PERMATANG PAUH BY-ELECTION

Malaysiakini reported that the de facto opposition leader and PKR election candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has picked 'Merdeka' the theme for his by-election campaign in Permatang Pauh, urging voters there to put him on the road to Putrajaya and save the country from tyranny while addressing a crowd of about 10,000 people that it was ‘now or never' to trigger changes for reform.

"We want to save our nation from all wrongdoings, mischief and oppressive governance," said Datuk Seri Anwar at a rally in Kampung Kota, one of the many small villages in the Permatang Pauh constituency.

Having been a former deputy prime minister, Datuk Seri Anwar is regarded by many Malaysians as having the best chance among all opposition leaders that have surfaced so far to get a shot at becoming the country's next prime minister and forming the ever first Opposition federal government.

His opposition alliance, Pakatan Rakyat created history in March 2008 when it wrested five State seats from ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, chopping down the latter's two-thirds parliamentary majority to a simple one. Datuk Seri Anwar now plans to reverse that majority and take control of parliament by 16 September 2008.

"I am 61 now and have lost 10 precious years of my life. I leave the decision to all of you to decide whether or not you want me to initiate changes. I will accept and respect your decision," Datuk Seri Anwar was quoted as saying.

But the bespectacled and slim-built leader, sacked in 1998 by ex-premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on corruption and sodomy charges, is still dogged by scandal. He now faces fresh sodomy allegations, this time from former personal aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, and if convicted he will be disqualified from holding office even if he wins on polling date on 26 August 2008.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Anwar's political opponents from the BN are widely expected to leverage on the scandal to pull as many voters away from him as possible.

Just last night, the Umno-led BN coalition had named Seberang Jaya state assemblyperson Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah as their candidate.

Datuk Seri Anwar seems unfazed while telling the cheering crowd that he has received information that a key medical report written by the government's doctor found "the boy (his accuser) had no leakage behind", thereby confirming his innocence. "I challenge UMNO and BN leaders to deny this," Datuk Seri Anwar said, promising that he would run a clean campaign and not use character assassination to win votes.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also criticised the BN, accusing them of resorting to personal attacks and unfair tactics and BN lacks not only ideas, but candidates to fight Datuk Seri Anwar, said Lim, whose DAP party is a partner in the Datuk Seri Anwar-led alliance. "BN and UMNO took so long to unveil their candidate and when they did, they had to choose an existing assemblyperson."

"Everybody in Pakatan Rakyat has to work hard to ensure our future prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar) wins and marches to Putrajaya (the administrative capital)," Lim added.

news n photo courtesy of Malaysiakini