Hanafi Hamat, the third candidate in the three-cornered battle for Permatang Pauh, is taking it easy even though high-profile rivals Anwar Ibrahim and Arif Shah Omar Shah have locked themselves into one of the dirtiest and toughest by-election fights ever.

Hanafi, who heads the little-known Islamic party Angkatan Insan Keadilan Malaysia (Akim), is not even in town.

"I am still preparing my campaigning materials like flags and banners. My opponents can have their ‘big' campaign, we can have our slow campaign," he told Malaysiakini in a phone interview when contacted from Tanah Merah last night.