PKR president Dr Wan Azizah appears to have begun her election campaign in Permatang Pauh even before her party has announced her candidacy.

 

She had a busy schedule yesterday reconnecting with the people there and will be doing the same today.

 

The seat has been declared vacant due to the imprisonment of its MP Anwar Ibrahim. The PKR defacto leader is serving a five year jail sentence in Sungai Buloh prison for sodomy.

 

Wan Azizah said instead of bombarding her with complaints, the voters asked after her husband.

 

"I felt so warm and touched," she said when met in Permatang Pauh last night.

 

"They did not actually tell me their complaints, there were more worried about Anwar ( right ), asking about his condition. It was so heartwarming."

 

Wan Azizah has indicated she is ready to contest in Permatang Pauh while the DAP has stated its support for her to fill Anwar's role as parliamentary opposition leader.

 

If she wins, this would be her second time holding the posts before she gave them up in 2008 to pave the way for Anwar's return to politics, after serving a six year jail term for abuse of power related to his first sodomy charge.

 

Questions abounded if Pakatan Rakyat allies would campaign for her in Permatang Pauh, especially after DAP cut ties with PAS chief Abdul Hadi Awang, unhappy with his plan to table a Private Members Bill on hudud law in Parliament.

 

However Wan Azizah said "when it comes to the crunch", coalition partners would work together to retain the seat held by Anwar first held in 1982.

 

Penang Umno is also vying for the seat and has reportedly shortlisted several new faces as possible candidates.

 

Packed schedule

Yesterday, from 11.30am to 9pm, Wan Azizah showed up at six different locations, meeting several groups including students, women PKR members, and the party's state division leaders. She also attended the funeral of a Chinese family in Permatang Pauh.

 

Today, she has a similar schedule in the constituency before she rushes off to attend the Selangor legislative assembly tomorrow as Kajang representative.

 

Asked whether voters can accept her candidacy again as they did in 1999 when she first stood for elections in Anwar's place, Wan Azizah mused that "times have changed".

 

"That time I was in an Opposition state and the state government was not in Pakatan's hands," she said, referring to BN rule in Penang for 18 years up to March 8, 2008, when it lost to Pakatan.

 

"Now that we are in a Pakatan state, the voters know I can deliver and address their grouses," she replied confidently.

 

Asked if things would be less tough now that Permatang Pauh is under Pakatan, Wan Azizah said one must not take things for granted in any election. It is always an uphill task for the opposition in any election," she added.

 

On Umno's plea to Permatang Pauh voters to give the party a chance to bring development for the constituency as PKR is a party only for "Anwar's family", Wan Azizah said such claims were nothing new.

 

She said Pekan, the constituency under Prime Minister Najib Razak ( left ), is not doing that great as well.

 

"Just go and see how the Pekan people are faring, you can analyse for yourself," she quipped.

 

However, she agreed that her candidacy in Permatang Pauh would be an issue that Umno would keep harping on, as she is Anwar's wife.

 

"But Anwar's issue is about justice. It's about maligning a man for 16 years and now he is in prison.

 

"Najib has a bigger issue to answer to and that is on (the alleged financial mismanagement) of 1Malaysian Development Berhad," Wan Azizah asserted.

 

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah said her campaign in Permatang Pauh would also focus on the goods and services tax (GST) - already in its fourth day of implementation.

 

She said she was aware of complaints even by Umno members that the federal government was not ready for GST although they had two years to prepare for it before it kicked in on April 1st.

 

"Some businessmen are taking opportunity of the situation and it is the consumers who eventually pay for the government's lack of proper preparation," Wan Azizah said.

 

"It hurts the pockets of the people and is a very important issue to raise at an election like this one," she added.