Pakatan Rakyat candidate for the Penanti by-election Mansor Othman wants to give a new dimension and perspective to Malay leadership in Penang, away from the stereotype racist politics ala Barisan Nasional.

If elected as an assemblyperson and subsequently appointed as Penang Deputy Chief Minister 1, he stressed he would not be just another typical Malay leader embarking on communal politics.

mansor othman interview 300409 03 Mansor said he would provide a different vision of Malay leadership under the Pakatan state government by representing and carrying out beneficial programmes for all communities, especially the needy and underprivileged people.

He rejected the BN's racial-based policies, in which a Malay leader would only take care of his community, a Chinese for Chinese and an Indian for Indians, as an outdated stereotyped politics that would only take the Penang backwards.

"Communal politics would do more harm and than good to the state and nation.

"I want to move away from it and be a Malay leader focusing on programmes to help all, not just Malays," said Mansor, the PKR's Penang deputy chief and national election machinery director.

He pointed out that Umno-led BN governance style of divide and rule based on ethnicity was rapidly becoming an endangered species in the current political climate.

Mansor foresees that the concept of sharing and caring for all, with all and by all espoused by his party, the PKR and Pakatan coalition would be the future political fundamentals.

"We in Pakatan are definitely moving away from racial based politics.

"We must drive the country away from BN and Umno style of communal politics.

"I will surely provide a new dimension and perspective to Malay leadership and politics in Penang," he told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview yesterday.

If he were to become the next DCM 1, Mansor assured that he would tackle heads on the Umno concoction that "Penang Malays have been neglected".

"I would to address and resolve the problem," he said.

Rates a good chance of winning

He said he was looking forward to work closely with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to assist the state government to resolve various pressing issues such as housing, education and poverty.

"I will compliment Lim and reduce his burden in administrative works," said the former associate professor from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

penanti by election pkr candidate dr mansor othman nomination 290409 01 When announcing party candidature for Penanti by-election, PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim said Mansor was chosen to contest Penanti "due to his strong academic credentials, political background and administrative experience".

"We need him to assist the chief minister to carry out the state administrative task efficiently and effectively," said Anwar.

Mansor was among the founding member of PKN, the predecessor of PKR, in 1999 and was first and longest serving Penang party chief.

If elected, Anwar said Mansor would be the party nominee for the vacant DCM 1 and an executive councillor post to fulfil the PKR quotas in the DAP-led state government.

Both positions fell vacant when incumbent Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin resigned effective April 8 after he was embroiled in a graft investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

And on April 16 Fairus resigned as assemblyperson for Penanti, which comes under Anwar's Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency, a PKR stronghold.

penanti state seat penang 200409 Polling is on Sunday, May 31 and nomination falls on Saturday, May 23.

Prior to Penanti, Mansor has lost all his electoral battles - to Zain Omar in the Balik Pulau parliamentary duel in 1999, to Ariff Shah Omar Shah in Seberang Jaya state seat contest in 2004 and to Muhammad Farid Saad by 2004 in Pulau Betong state constituency.

But this time he is confident of finally breaking the duck and securing his first electoral victory.

Despite Umno's delay in deciding whether or not to contest Penanti, he expects the party to finally field a strong candidate to challenge him.

"It's not Umno's style not to contest," said Mansor, who rated his chances at 60-40 given that Penanti is the territory of Anwar and PKR, and the people's general mood for a change.

"But I am not over confident nor complacent.

"We have to work hard and ensure a big win," he stressed.