Last-minute campaigning in any voting situation is a norm and it was no different for Umno leaders who were vying for various posts in the party polls today.

umno 59 agm 2009 puteri youth wanita mt campaign 250309 08 So many candidates, with the aid of their supporters, undertook a variant of methods to canvass for last-minute votes.

Most resorted to shouts, taunts, leaflets, tags, buttons and masks to sell themselves to the delegates.

But one particular candidate stood out from the rest with his different approach.

Supporters of supreme council nominee Shaziman Abu Mansor, also the communication, energy and water minister, used sweets as sweeteners.

Cute little bags carrying some mint sweets, together with a polling card with his photo and name, were distributed to the delegates.

umno 2009 agm shaziman sweet offerings and kadar shah letter on ali rutam and khairy 260309 03 Shaziman's campaigners distributed these sweets to everyone including the press outside Putra World Trade Centre main hall, Dewan Merdeka, where 2,519 delegates casted their votes.

Canvassers also were seen shouting their candidate's polling numbers while polling was underway in the hall.

An episode of pulling and pushing the media representatives also ensued during the heated last-minute campaign, when supporters tried to surround their favourite nominees when the reporters were doing the door-stop interviews.

Meanwhile, the tension was on the air for the contest for the second top post between early favourite Muhyiddin Yassin and underdog Muhammad Muhd Taib.

However if the race was to be based on popularity, Muhammad Taib would have won it a long time ago.

muhammad mohd taib campaign card umno agm 2009 260309 Muhammad Taib's supporters had been shouting "03" (his candidate number) on top of their lungs, burying deep the campaigners from Muhyiddin's camp.

Muhammad Taib's polling card even had his mobile number printed on top, indicating a direct access to him for anyone.

A new deputy president and three vice-presidents will be elected by the end of the day. Along with this, positions for 25 supreme council seats are also up for grabs.

Polling ended at 3.15pm. Results are only expected late tonight.

Snatch thieves and sexual harassment

The convergence of thousands of people at the Umno general assembly has brought about another type of problem - that of human traffic jam at the Putra World Trade Centre.

umno 2009 agm vendors 260309 03 The number of people has doubled from last year's meet, causing it to become more like a bazaar rather than a general assembly meet of a major party.

Most of the spectators, apart from following the Umno proceedings, had also come to shop and get the latest bargains, if any.

Traders meanwhile have also decided to hike up their prices. For instance, a plate of chicken rice cost RM5 and a cordial drink was charged RM2. And they still had good business.

umno 59 agm 2009 puteri youth wanita mt campaign 250309 06 Shifting the focus to the ‘darker' side of the general assembly, Malaysiakini learnt that snatch thieves were also doing brisk business.

A journalist from a mainstream press claimed that someone tried to grab her mobile phone while she was talking.

And more worryingly, some female reporters have also claimed that they were "sexually harassed" by "unknown hands" when commotion erupted last night soon after Khairy Jamaluddin emerged as the winner for the Youth chief post.

More drama can be expected tonight when the list of winners emerge.