SERI SETIA POLLS | PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim set out on a charm offensive with Indian voters in Seri Setia last night.

At a campaign event for Pakatan Harapan’s Seri Setia by-election candidate Halimey Abu Bakar in Desa Mentari, Anwar was invited onstage by a performer dressed as popular late Indian actor MGR.

As he danced and skipped candidly to the Tamil song “Naan Anaiyittal”, he accepted a microphone that was handed to him and began singing along, appearing to know the lyrics.

Showered with numerous flower garlands afterwards, Anwar eventually got to addressing the enthusiastic 250-odd crowd of mostly Indians.

“Friends, I urge you for your support to make the Selangor government strong.

“After this Sept 8, the Balakong and Seri Setia by-elections, you will need to help me. I want to contest in a different place.

“Can you help me?” he asked, for which Anwar received loud cheers from the crowd present.

“I need to become an MP. I told (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad, ‘You take care of the country, I will take care of Parliament for now’.

“When it is my time, I will take care of the country,” Anwar said.

Seeking affirmation

Earlier, at a separate event in Sunway Mentari with Chinese Seri Setia voters, he preached a similar message.

“Friends, I urge you to come out in large numbers and vote. I know it is difficult when it is a by-election and when the government is stable. People won’t feel the need to come out (to vote).

“...But when we win here (in Seri Setia), and when I announce that I want to contest somewhere, can you help me?

“Let’s win here first. Because if we don’t win here, I will be afraid to contest,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

Anwar has been hinting at his desire to return to the Dewan Rakyat since early August, when he vouched for PKR’s Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni as the candidate in the earlier Sungai Kandis by-election.

The party has since shortlisted three parliamentary seats for him to choose to contest and win, by October this year.

This would set in place the plan for Anwar to be the next prime minister, succeeding Mahathir.

Tomorrow’s Seri Setia by-election was triggered by the death of its PKR incumbent Shaharuddin Badaruddin on Aug 2.

It will see a straight fight between Halimey and Dr Halimah Ali.

In GE14, the late Shaharuddin won the seat with a 19,372-vote majority in a four-cornered fight against BN's Yusoff M Haniff, Mohd Ghazali Daud from PAS and independent candidate S Vigneswaran.