126 Aug 2008
The information below is culled from:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/87635
PP voting stats: 57,969 registered voters; 490 postal voters
In Permatang Pauh, Umno has some 19,000 members, MCA 2,700, MIC 1,900 and PPP 1,042, totaling 24,642.
If all 24,642 of them were to come out in full force and vote for BN, Malaysians would be in for a shocking result – the unthinkable could happen.
Moreover, expect the turnout to be lower as the Election Commission has set polling on a working day. Many workers and out-of-towners may not be able take time-off to vote. This is likely to affect Anwar’s winning majority.
Currently, BN will consider it a psychological win if Anwar does not match the 13,398 vote margin secured by PKR president Wan Azizah over BN’s Pirdaus Ismail in the March general election.
In Taman Pauh last weekend, Anwar told a rally that he does not have the slightest clue of BN’s campaign strategy but was sure it would be a “systematic character assassination campaign” on him.
Umno is expected to embark on a large-scale anti-Anwar crusade during the 10-day campaign period between nomination day on Aug 16 and polling day, while its BN partners carry out door-to-door and whisper campaigns to discredit Anwar and woo non-Muslim voters.
Some Pakatan leaders are even expecting BN to unveil concocted photographs of Anwar and Saiful, and are ready to counter them.
Anwar’s camp has warned supporters not to take an easy victory for granted. [source Malaysiakini]