GE14 | BN's Permatang Pauh candidate Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said has been a picture of confidence since he hit the GE14 campaign trail, which enters its' fourth day today.

He feels encouraged by the fact that the other contenders for the seat, PKR and PAS, are no longer allies, and sees a big window of opportunity for a possible victory in the parliamentary seat which has been held by either Anwar Ibrahim of his family, since 1982.

"We used to have a tough time, we were not allowed to enter villages here, but now they greet us with smiles," Zaidi told reporters when met on his campaign trail.

Zaidi has embarked on a campaign to drive votes away from Pakatan Harapan, by showcasing his contributions to the people of Permatang Pauh.

Large billboards bearing Zaidi's image with children, senior citizens and youths, adorn almost every nook and cranny of the constituency.

Zaidi may be trying to promote himself as a multiracial leader, but his team continues to capitalise on instilling fear on Malay voters, about the possibility of losing their rights to DAP, should Harapan continues to be in power in Penang.

Yesterday, in a dialogue with about 60 Guar Perahu, Penanti, residents, veteran Umno leaders asked: "what will happen to the Malays, if they (Harapan/DAP) retains the state government?"

On top of this, there is also Zaidi's purported distancing from Umno president cum caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, that needs addressing.

Zaidi's opponents have noted that Najib is hardly present in Permatang Pauh, and this even led to Seberang Jaya candidate Dr Afif Bahardin to sarcastically retort: "Is he (Zaidi) ashamed of Najib?"

Come May 9, Zaidi and PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar will clash with PAS candidate Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudeen in a three-corner fight in Permatang Pauh.

Permatang Pauh has 72 percent Malay voters, Chinese (21 percent) and Indians (six percent).

Nurul Izzah faces uphill battle

Nurul Izzah's mother Wan Azizah won the seat in a by-election in 2015 with a 8,841 majority against BN's Suhaimi Shabudin, lesser 2,280 than the majority won by Anwar in 2013.

This time, speculation is high that if Nurul Izzah recaptures the seat, the majority will be much lesser due to her party's fall out with PAS.

In contrast to Zaidi's, Nurul Izzah's campaign has been more low-key and perceived as "tough" due to the absence of support from the previous PAS machinery.

She needs to cover more ground to introduce herself as Harapan's candidate for Permatang Pauh. It helps that she is Anwar's eldest daughter, and popularly known as "Princess of Reformasi".

PKR has gone on a mission to remind voters of Anwar's legacy, as large billboards of Anwar and his wife, PKR president and incumbent Permatang Pauh MP Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, adorn the constituency.

Wan Azizah, who is also deputy prime minister designate, took a break from her heavy schedule in Pandan, where she will be contesting, to help Nurul Izzah campaign yesterday.

But Nurul Izzah is not one to collapse under pressure.

"After meeting with voters, I feel optimistic and grateful for all these years, that voters here have stood by the principles of justice, and voted for an MP who will voice out their issues, whether it involves its politics, economics or unreasonable taxes like the GST," she said when met in Yayasan Aman, Bukit Mertajam.

"I don't want to comment much, let us battle in a positive way, what I like to do now is meet as many voters as I can," she added, when asked to comment on Zaidi's take on his chances in the polls, which falls on May 9.

"Zaidi can say whatever he wants but votes for PAS would definitely help Umno.

"The choice now is between the dark blue coalition (BN) that will increase GST if they win or light blue (Harapan) which has a manifesto that will abolish the tax," she added.

"Any party that enters as a third option in a three-corner fight would definitely not help itself win, that is the rationale for any seat, not just for Permatang Pauh," she noted.

"Secondly, we are faced with a clear choice in regards to our daily sufferings, there is no need to be confused about it.

"This is my message to voters during the campaign," she stressed.

Nurul Izzah recognises the reality that PKR has always fought "tough battles" since it joined the elections in 1999, a year after her father, then deputy prime minister, was sacked from his post and jailed over sodomy charges.

He is in prison for a second time, under another sodomy conviction, but is expected to be released in June. Anwar has strongly maintained the charges were meant to decimate his political career.

"That has been the tradition for PKR, we got seats that most parties did not want, we had to defend our strongholds which are the bastions for BN, as in multiracial seats, and now Malay majority areas," she said.

"It's very challenging but that is also part of our strength. So when the going gets tough, the tough get goings," Nurul Izzah quipped.