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Malaysiakini is covering the nominations for the Permatang Pauh by-election LIVE. Click 'reload' or 'refresh' on your browser for the latest updates.


LIVE REPORTS

10.25am: Returning officer Jusni Ismail announces that four candidates will be contesting the Permatang Pauh by-election. They are, in order of the ballot:

1. Suhaimi Sabudin (Umno)
2. Salleh Isahak (Independent)
3. Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR)
4. Azman Shah Othman (PRM)

10am -Institute Kemahiran Belia Negara nomination centre: While waiting for Wan Azizah who is still inside the nomination centre, PKR supporters help themselves with food from surrounding stalls, as well as listening to speeches by various Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

9.36am: MIC president G Palanivel says he fell after he was pushed by the crowd, slightly hurting his lips.

"But I am okay, I was pushed when I was walking through the crowd," he tells reporters. His lips are slightly swollen.

Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi says no police reports have been lodged against any party.

Asked about the crowd size, Rahim says he is not able to access as yet the number of people gathering at both sides.

9.16pm: Two independent candidates are said to be submitting their forms at the nomination centre.

Expected independent candidates are Salleh Isahak, who is Umno member, and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) member Azman Shah Othman.

However, it is still unclear whether Azman will contest under the PRM ticket or as an independent. Azman, 50, a businessman with six kids, promised to struggle with the people if elected.

Meanwhile, former Umno member Abdullah Zawawi Samsudin ( photo ), who initially planned to contest, has decided to pull out after being told that there will be two other independent candidates.

He apologises to his supporters and asks for their understanding.

"Never mind, the next GE (general election) is around the corner - in about three years’ time. I will study the profiles of all candidates before stating who to support," he says.

Abdullah announced yesterday that he would throw his hat into the ring again.

The medical doctor lost to PKR's Anwar Ibrahim and Umno's Dr

Mazlan Ismail in the 2013 general election. He only obtained 201 votes, resulting in him forfeiting his deposit.

9.13am - Jalan Berapit, Bukit Mertajam: BN supporters stand facing a wall of barb wires, backed by a group of police officers. Behind them is the Bukit Mertajam hill.

The supporters sit by the side of the road, fanning themselves. Some try to sing the national anthem ‘Negara Ku’ but they sound muffled.

"Nyanyi macam tak makan pagi," shouted someone in the crowd. Everyone breaks into laughter.

There are no political speeches as BN supporters wave their deep blue flags depicting the ‘dacing’ logo.

9.05am: Both the BN and PKR candidates - Suhaimi Sabudin and Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail - are inside the nomination centre to submit their forms.

9am - Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara, Bukit Mertajam: PKR candidate Wan Azizah Wan Ismail walks into the nomination centre.

Meanwhile, PKR supporters are chuckling among themselves when an ambulance which has no other choice but to reverse from the crowd, has a placard bearing the words 'Undur Najib Undur' and Altantuya Shaariibuu's face plastered behind it.

8.50am - National Youths Skill Institute (IKBN) nomination centre: Alma Umno branch member Salleh Isahak, 53, who is a businessman, says he will contest as an independent candidate. He is not perturbed by the likelihood that he could be expelled by the party.

Salleh is a father of 5 kids and born in Permatang Pasir, one of three state seats in Permatang Pauh.

He formed an NGO, Persatuan Bakti Ikhlas Malaysia, early this year and hopes to fight for Islam by contesting in the by-election.

8.45am: The BN contingent arrives at the gate of the nomination centre. Soon after Umno candidate Suhaimi Sabudin and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin enter the building.

 

There is a slight commotion as some from the crowd seek to go inside the centre but they are stopped from doing so. However, the situation remains calm and under control.

 

8.32am: BN supporters begin marching from Jalan Merapit towards the nomination centre.

They are led by Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Both are accompanying the party's candidate, Suhaimi Sabudin.

 

Among those seen in the procession are Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan and Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

 

The 1,000 or so marchers sang ‘Inilah barisan kita’ and shout ‘Hidup BN’ along the way.

8.30am - Simpang Tiga Mengkuang Titi: PKR leaders and supporters alike are now marching towards the nomination centre.

Leading the march are Kita Lawan members who link their arms while chanting 'Hidup Rakyat'.

Every so often, the march stops to ensure that they neither go too fast nor too slow.

8.14am - Jalan Berapit, Bukit Mertajam: The road leading to Institute Kemahiran Belia, Berapit, Bukit Mertajam is congested as BN supporters can be seen making their way to the nomination centre.

They are supposed to march from Quarry Jalan Berapit, which is less than 1km away from the centre.

Nomination starts at 9am to 10am, while an announcement by the returning officer confirming the candidates is expected to be at 11am.

8am: The battle for Permatang Pauh officially starts today with candidates vying for the parliamentary seat and their supporters march to Institute Kemahiran Belia in Berapit, Bukit Mertajam, the nomination centre.

 

Nomination will be from 9am to 10am, while polling day is on May 7 after an expected gruelling two-week campaign, with early voting on May 3.

 

BN is fielding Suhaimi Sabudin ( photo ), 44, a quantity surveyor, while PKR has again chosen its president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, 63, as its candidate for the third time.

 

There is a likelihood that an independent candidate could be contesting as well to make it a three-cornered fight.

 

Since the seat was declared vacant on March 30, BN and Pakatan Rakyat - the two main contestants for the seat - have been campaigning on the ground.

 

Party heavyweights from both sides of the political divide have made their way here, launching election operations centres, giving ceramahs and meeting with the voters.

 

BN's battle cry is ‘Cukuplah, kali ini kami pulak’ (Enough, it's our turn this time), while Pakatan is campaigning on ‘Say no to GST and 1MDB’.

 

The incumbent is expected to focus its message on the new Goods and Services Tax and the troubled government-owned 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

 

Nevertheless, it is likely to be a tough fight for Pakatan and BN, as both coalitions have been weakened by internal feuds.

 

Permatang Pauh is a PKR stronghold held by its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim since 1982, when he was in Umno.

 

He lost the seat twice. The first was when he was jailed for six years between 2001 and 2006 for abuse of power related to his first sodomy charge.

 

Anwar lost the seat again early this month when his family failed to obtain a pardon from the Agong for his release from Sungai Buloh prison where he is serving a five-year jail term for a sodomy conviction.

 

Wan Azizah was MP for Permatang Pauh when she won the seat in 1999 and 2008.

But she stood down soon after the 2008 general election to make way for Anwar in the by-election that followed.

 

Reports by Alyaa Azhar, Low Chia Ming, Susan Loone and Zulaikha Zulkifli.

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