PERMATANG PAUH: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be involved in a three-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional's Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah and a political non-entity, Hanafi Hamat from Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia in the Aug 26 Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election.

A Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) back-up candidate, Dr Mansor Othman, 58, withdrew his nomination papers during the objection period after it became clear that Anwar would be eligible to contest.

Dr Mansor, who is former Penang PKR chief, had filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate and ended up losing the RM15,000 deposit for withdrawing.

Returning officer Roslan Yahaya announced at 11.45am that the three candidates would be eligible to contest, after the objection period ended at 11am.

He said five objections were received but all were rejected and none of the candidates was disqualified.
The nomination process was held at the Maktab Perguruan Tuanku Bainun in Mengkuang near here from 9am.

Thousands of BN and Pa-katan Rakyat supporters carrying flags and banners began gathering in the area from early morning as they eagerly awaited the arrival of the candidates.

The large crowd was estimated at more than 30,000, with Pakatan Rakyat supporters far outnumbering those of the BN.

Shouts of "reformasi", "liwat", "Altantuya" and a host of other barbs and insults were traded but the overall situation was kept under control thanks to the large and visible presence of the Federal Reserve Unit and police personnel.

Police had a tough time but managed to keep the opposing sides apart.

Arif Shah, 52, was first to make an appearance and he was accompanied to the nomination centre at 8.30am by BN leaders led by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The other BN leaders included Gerakan acting president and Penang BN chairman Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Wanita Umno vice-head Datuk Seri Shah-rizat Jalil.

Moments later, Anwar, 61, accompanied by his wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Pas vice-president Datuk Husam Musa arrived.

Arif Shah was the first to submit his nomination papers at 9.03am.

Anwar's nomination was filed at 9.11am while Hanafi, 61, filed his nomination at 9.40am.

Permatang Pauh has 58,459 voters, 69 per cent of whom are Malays, 25 per cent Chinese and six per cent Indians and others.

The by-election is being held after Dr Wan Azizah resigned as its MP on July 31 to make way for her husband to contest.

She first won the seat in 1999 and retained it in 2004. She won it for the third time in the March 8 general election when she obtained a 13,388 majority against BN's Datuk Pirdaus Ismail.

Before that, Anwar had held the seat from 1982 until 1999 when he was convicted for corruption and jailed.

AKIM FORMED IN 1995

ANGKATAN Keadilan Insan Malaysia was registered on Feb 16, 1995. The party president is Hanafi Mamat and it is said to be a Pas splinter party. It reportedly has 10,000 members nationwide.