Pakatan Rakyat kicks off its third convention in Alor Star tomorrow - and probably its last before the 13th general election - with a series of state-wide ceramah tonight.

About 600 delegates from the three parties - DAP, PAS and PKR - and some 200 observers will be attending the conference from 9.30am to 5pm at Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah.

NONE The convention, which was last held in Kepala Batas, will kick off with lectures and ceramah in 15 parliamentary constituencies in Kedah from 7.00 to 11.30 tonight.

They include Langkawi, Jerlun, Kubang Pasu, Padang Terap, Pokok Sena, Kuala Kedah, Pendang, Sik, Jerai, Merbok, Sungai Petani and Baling.

Among the top leaders speaking at the ceramah are DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu in Pokok Sena.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, PAS vice-president Husam Musa and DAP deputy treasurer Nga Kor Ming will appear in Sungai Petani, while Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy and former Perak MB Nizar Jamaluddin will be in Kubang Pasu.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua and PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub will be in Padang Terap while PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and DAP publicity chief Tony Pua will appear in the Kulim-Bandar Baharu ceramah .

Bersih chief to speak

The convention follows tomorrow, with Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail giving their opening speeches from 9am onwards.

NONE Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will be making his first public appearance in the northern state since his acquittal on the sodomy charge on Jan 9.

Anwar will later join Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat and DAP national chief Karpal Singh in the concluding session of the convention at 3.40pm.

Bersih chief S Ambiga and several other civil society leaders are also expected to address the gathering at 10.30am.

The event will conclude with a mega rally featuring top Pakatan leaders including Anwar, Azizan and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, from 7pm to 11pm.