PKR's candidate for next week's Penanti by-election in Penang, Mansor Othman promises to carry out a fair and clean campaign in accordance with the public aspiration.

He said he understood that the public expectation was high for a clean and non-intimidating electoral process due to the absence of Umno and Barisan Nasional from the contest.

anwar ibrahim dr mansor othman pkr candidate for penanti state seat by election 280409 03 He admitted that the public was now demanding PKR and Pakatan Rakyat to conduct an electoral campaign that would comply with all norms, virtues and ethical practices of a democratisation process.

"Pakatan has always upheld the concept of free and fair elections. The electorates expect us to practice and I tend to fulfil their wish," the former academician-turned-politician he told Malaysiakini .

He also vowed not to indulge in smearing and character assassination campaign.

The seat fell vacant following the resignation of former Deputy Chief Minister 1 (DCM 1) Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as its state representative on April 16. Polling is on May 31 while nomination is held tomorrow.

penanti state seat penang 200409 Umno, which had traditionally contested the constituency, has surprisingly passed over the contest this time, citing that it was not interested in being dragged into PKR's internal politicking.

Mansor is now expected to face a bunch of independent candidates, including former Penang PKR women chief Aminah Abdullah and businessman Mohd Saberi Othman, believed to be an ex-aide of former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

A fourth independent candidate, manager of a manufacturing company Nai Khan Ari, 41, will be announcing his candidacy later.

The Siamese origin Nai is the Permatang Pauh Gerakan Youth wing vice-head and has claimed that he was not representing his party in the contest.

Warning by watchdog

Local election watchdog Malaysians for Free and Fair Election (Mafrel) has called on all contesting parties in Penanti by-election to take part and conduct a peaceful, non-intimidating and cordial electoral campaign.

mafrel penanti by election pc 190509 ong boon keong "The absence of Umno and BN from Penanti has provided a immense opportunity for competing candidates to conduct and take part in a free and fair election for the first time," said Mafrel's regional coordinator Ong Boon Keong ( photo ).

Mafrel warned that it would file a complaint to the Election Commission if any candidate was found to have gone out of electoral norms.

Ong has expressed hope that Mansor would not be tempted to utilise the ruling Pakatan state government machinery for his campaign.

Mansor, the state PKR deputy chief, promised that he would not use any state government apparatus and contraption for his campaign, which would take off in full force after nominations tomorrow.

When contacted, Aminah also expressed hopes to see a free and fair election and said she would follow the electoral rules in her campaign.

"I will conduct more door-to-door and poster campaign and avoid smearing others," she told Malaysiakini .