BUKIT GELUGOR After more than two days of Dyana-mania, attention has shifted back to the much quieter Bukit Gelugor campaign trail, thanks to the desperate act of a candidate who literally threw himself in front of the Penang chief minister's car.

The candidate was Independent Abu Backer Sidek Mohamad Zan, who had grown frustrated after having waited at the Penang state assembly building since 12.30pm to meet with Lim Guan Eng.

He later tried to prevent Lim from leaving in his car at 2pm but was prevented by security personnel.

Determined to meet with the chief minister at all costs, Abu Backer, in dramatic fashion, threw himself in front of Lim's official car, a Mercedes Benz, 10 minutes later as it exited from the state building, "knocking" into it.

He then proceeded to lay sprawled on the ground in front of the car, causing a scene and a slight traffic congestion in front of the building at Lebuh Light.

Unfortunately, his bid was not successful as Lim, his driver and assistant departed the scene without alighting from the vehicle.

Later, Abu Backer claimed he was hit by the vehicle and complained of pain in his right rib.

Taken to hospital

An ambulance arrived at around 2.30pm and took him to Penang Hospital.

 

Later, Abu Backer's aide claimed his boss had suffered a fractured pelvis and would be transferred to Gleneagles Hospital in George Town. 

 

He added that Abu Backer was unconscious as he was under sedation.

 

The aide also told Malaysiakini that the candidate will be lodging a police report on the incident.

 

Earlier, Abu Backer claimed that Guan Eng had snubbed him even though he had been trying to meet the chief minister every other day in the last week.

 

He also complained that DAP's candidate for the Bukit Gelugor by-election, Ramkarpal Singh, was allowed to enter the state assembly but he was not.

 

"It is unfair. I am dissatisfied. Why can Ram ( left ) enter and not me?

 

"I am a candidate, why is it so difficult to meet my chief minister?" he said before throwing himself at Lim's vehicle.

 

Abu Backer, who is also a lawyer, wanted to meet Lim on the welfare of taxi drivers and land issues in the state.

 

"I am a candidate so I must try to resolve their problems, only then they can see that I am serving.

 

"I respect the chief minister and I want to invite him to help resolve the rakyat's problems," he added.

 

'No action mooted'

 

Meanwhile, the Penang state assembly's security officer, Tiraya Abd Rahim, said there was no plan to take action against Abu Backer despite his antics.

 

"The wild action of kicking and throwing himself at the chief minister's official vehicle is an offence for obstructing the chief minister, who is a public servant.

 

“But our security does not intend to take any action against Abu Backer as we do not want to get entangled in his campaign," Tiraya said.

 

He said Abu Backer made a fuss after being informed he could not meet the chief minister but cooperated when he was escorted out of the state assembly compound.

 

However he re-emerged when Lim's vehicle was about to exit from the state assembly compound, Tiraya added.

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