PTMG PAUH Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has declared May 7, Permatang Pauh polling day, as a state public holiday.

 

In a press conference in Penang today, Lim said this was decided by the state executive council, and was to ensure the voting process in Permatang Pauh proceeds smoothly.

 

"We hope employers will take note of this. Even if they do not observe the public holiday, we hope employers, especially in the private sector, will allow their staff to vote."

 

Lim added he hoped all outstation voters, reportedly numbering at least 6,000 out of the 70,000 voters in Permatang Pauh, would return to participate in the polls.

 

Failure of outstation voters to return home to vote may adversely impact the outcome of the by-election for Pakatan’s candidate Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the president of PKR.

 

She is facing a tight battle against Umno's Suhaimi Sabudin, PRM's Azman Shah Othman and independent Salleh Isahak.

 

The seat fell vacant when its former MP and PKR defacto leader Anwar Ibrahim failed to obtain a pardon from the Agong.

He has been in Sungai Buloh Prison since Feb 10, serving a five-year jail sentence for a sodomy conviction.

BN not satisfied

Meanwhile, the BN is not satisfied with Lim for declaring next Thursday a state public holiday.

Penang Opposition leader Jahara Hamid questioned whether the decision to declare polling day as a holiday can be justified.

State Umno liaison chief Zainal Abidin Osman expressed hope that there would be no by-elections in the future.

"Otherwise, if there were five by-elections, then the state government will announce another five days public holidays," he mocked, at a press conference called this afternoon at the BN polls command centre in Bandar Perda.

"We are worried that this will affect the routine operations and productivity of the (business) industry," he added.