PKR has been offering grilled lobsters whereas BN is going around the Permatang Pauh constituency with a Xiaomi - a China-made mobile phone - to woo voters.

These are not vote-buying schemes in the by-election, but campaign strategies by the two arch rivals.

BN's Suhaimi Sabudin ( right in photo ) and PKR's Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail are in a four-corner fight with Parti Rakyat Malaysia's Azman Shah Othman and independent Salleh Isahak.

Azman and Salleh, however, have been silent about their respective campaigns.

The week kicked off with several 'stunts' by Wan Azizah, including a press conference in Kubang Semang where she cried 'victim' while waving a mobile prepaid card.

"I am a victim of GST. I have to pay an extra six percent just to reload my phone," she said.

Lobsters are 'GST-free'

Later in the afternoon, Azmin Ali ( right in photo below ) donned a blue apron as well as a white cap and grilled lobsters for the residents on Jalan Kg Baru.

And as the smell of freshly grilled lobsters wafted through the air, the Selangor menteri besar said, "These lobsters are GST-free".

"This is not what you eat daily but they are not GST-ed, like your baby’s milk or pampers, your maggi mee or sardines," he added.

Lobsters are classified as basic food under the 'crustaceans' category, which has zero GST.

On Wednesday, Azizah went shopping at a local mini-market in Kubang Semang. After paying the bill, she exclaimed, "I know exactly how housewives feel".

"They are the ones who feel the burden as they purchase these items everyday," she said, cradling a basket of groceries.

Yesterday, she also launched the "Don’t tax my children" campaign, which is bound to resonate well with ordinary folk, who already feel the pinch of rising cost of living.

'Say No to GST' is Pakatan's battle song, a brilliant one, as the party rides on public discontent against the new tax since it was implemented on April 1.

Abang Mie is 'brotherly'

In contrast, BN's style of campaigning seems like a tame affair. Its battle cry: "Enough, this is our turn" sounds like DAP's 'ubah' campaign, and might confuse voters.

From the onset, the coalition has little to play with except to wave the development card.

Race or religious issues - which were often played up in previous by-elections - took a backseat this time.

Suhaimi can only boast of his impressive entourage, which includes the likes of top BN leaders such as Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

But there is nothing explosive or exciting about his campaign.

BN is banking on his pleasant demeanour, for just as Wan Azizah, 63, is motherly, the 44-year old Suhaimi is brotherly.

Posters of Suhaimi show him sporting a simple T-shirt, just like the typical kampung boy.

During his walks, he shakes hands with everyone, even children, and is always similing.

To the Malays, Suhaimi describes himself affectionately as "Abang Mie", to the Chinese, he calls himself "Xiaomi".

By calling himself Xiaomi, Suhaimi gives the impression that voters can have easy access to him.

Dodging queries on GST

However, it definitely takes more than charm to be a parliamentarian.

Suhaimi has been dodging questions on the GST, preferring to promptly exit the scene, albeit politely, when reporters pose the question.

He has also declined an invitation by human rights NGO Suaram to debate with Wan Azizah on the GST issue.

It seems that he prefers to take subtle swipes at Wan Azizah.

He pledges to stay put in Permatang Pauh, hinting that unlike the PKR president, he does not need to juggle between two constituencies.

Wan Azizah, however, has retaliated, saying that she has two heavyweights on her side.

In Kajang - where she is the assemblyperson - Azmin, her deputy chief, is the Selangor menteri besar. In Penang, her closest ally is Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Both have promised to look after her seats if she wins Permatang Pauh again for the fourth time.

It remains to be seen if these political gimmicks would translate into votes.

Reporters are waiting with bated breath for something exciting to happen, but the ‘shocker’ which the home minister promised earlier, has yet to come.

Permatang Pauh goes to vote on May 7, with early voting on May 3.