PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli hopes that Umno’s shocker for the Permatang Pauh by-election, as announced by its vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, will not be another sex video.

“Let them unveil the shocker. But I hope it’s not a sex video, since that always seems to be the shocker from Umno,” Rafizi told Malaysiakini, adding that Permatang Pauh voters were already disgusted with such dirty tactics.

“Anyway, I doubt that they can manufacture anything on Kak Wan (PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail),” Rafizi joked.

He said this in response to the announcement by Zahid in Permatang Pauh earlier today that there will be a " shocking surprise " in the coming by-election for the parliamentary seat that Anwar Ibrahim held until just after his Sodomy II conviction.

He said this surprise would change the political landscape of the constituency which Anwar has held since 1982, when he was still an Umno leader.

However, Zahid did not want to elaborate further and told reporters to wait for Umno’s announcement on its candidate come April 23.

'After Dr M-Najib feud, nothing is shocking'

On his part, Rafizi said after considering the ongoing feud between Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, nothing was shocking anymore.

“I don’t think the people, and PKR, will be surprised by anything that can come out from Umno,” he said.

Rafizi, who is also a PKR vice-president, believes that Zahid’s announcement was only to divert attention away from the real issues.

“I’m not surprised for Zahid to go down the sensational route for Umno, because it will be difficult for them to counter and answer these issues, about which they will be on the defensive,” he said.

As for PKR’s plans, Rafizi said the party’s campaign would be low-key and focused on real issues, such as the goods and services tax (GST), the economic hardship faced by the people, crackdowns on politicians and activists, as well as what had happened to jailed PKR de facto leader Anwar.

Meanwhile, PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the party was working hard for the by-election.

“We’re confident and we’re working very hard to keep the seat,” he said, adding that as for Zahid, there were so many other things that he should be focusing on.

“Issues such as his wealth, his handling of civil liberties, Paul Phua, and so on. If I were him, I would put my time on all these things,” Nik Nazmi said.

PKR has head start

PKR supreme council member Fariz Musa said the party was ready to face any surprises to be made by Umno.

“We are confident, that whatever the circumstances, Umno will not be able to win Permatang Pauh especially since it is PKR’s fort.

“And as a state under Pakatan, we will be able to defend the seat,” he added.

Stating that Zahid’s statement was nothing but rhetoric, Fariz said it also has no significance, especially with issues like the GST.

“And Umno has not launched its machinery, unlike PKR,” he said.

The Permatang Pauh seat fell vacant after the bid by Anwar's family to seek a pardon for his conviction and jailing for sodomy from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong failed. Anwar has, since Feb 10, been serving a five-year jail term in the Sungai Buloh Prison.

The by-election will be held on May 7, with nomination day being April 25.