BN candidate Suhaimi Sabudin said perhaps Allah has chosen him to chart a new chapter for Permatang Pauh, which has been out of the ruling coalition's hands for four consecutive terms.

For this, Suhaimi expressed gratitude to the BN machinery for its fighting spirit to unseat PKR in its stronghold of 16 years.

"We have to do something. If we allow this to continue, we would not be able to realise the vision of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to restore our dignity in Permatang Pauh," he said at the launching of the Wanita BN election machinery there.

He thanked Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for describing him as the "best" candidate for the parliament seat won by Anwar Ibrahim in 1982.

The Opposition Leader has held the seat since, except from 1999 to 2008, when his wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail contested and won while he was in jail.

Suhaimi said he was not even in the list of candidates submitted by the Permatang Pauh division to Najib for selection as candidate.

The 44-year-old quantity surveyor is a managing director of a construction company and the Umno Permatang Pauh division secretary.

He was picked over three candidates, including division chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said.

'Campaign tips'

Zahid said Suhaimi only knew about his candidacy a few days ago when he was driven to Najib's office in Putrajaya.

The seasoned politician gave Suhaimi some tips on being a candidate, asking him to smile, raise his hand, and wind down his car window if it is tinted, to wave at voters.

"This is because some in the media have said Suhaimi does not smile," Zahid claimed.

Accompanying Zahid and Suhaimi was BN wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and other BN component party leaders.

The by-election officially kicks off on nomination day tomorrow, with polling day on May 7.

Suhaimi will most probably contest against PKR president Dr Wan Azizah, whose candidacy will be announced later tonight.

Shahrizat ( right ) told the 2,000-strong crowd that Suhaimi appears "handsome and quiet, but he can actually speak".

"He is not too young and not too old; just nice.

"Fifty-one person of the voters here are women. The women here from BN appears to like our candidate.

"I am warning his wife - do not be jealous," she quipped, followed by much laughter from the audience.

Anwar, who is serving a five-year jail term for sodomy, lost the Permatang Pauh seat when his family failed to obtain a pardon for his release from the Yang di Pertuan Agong.