Najib, Anwar 'shop' at same market
Malaysiakini.com
Aug 24, 2008
Beh Lih Yi 

They have been fighting a war of words through the media and various ceramahs since the start of the campaigning a week ago but the two leaders have yet to meet face-to-face in Permatang Pauh.
MCPX

For the first time however, the two men - Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim - were at the same market in Seberang Jaya this morning and almost bumped into each other.
    
anwar najib campaign in market 040808 04Najib, who is leading the BN election campaign machinery, was scheduled to campaign at the Seberang Jaya market at 8.30am, while Anwar - who is running as a candidate - was to be there 30 minutes earlier.

With that, reporters had waited in anticipation that the duo, both deemed as ‘prime minister-in-waiting’, might actually run into each other.

That however did not take place, although the two leaders were simultaneously at the market for about five minutes.

Shout of ‘Hidup Altantuya’

anwar najib campaign in market 040808 05The deputy premier arrived on time and began canvassing for votes as he visited the traders and food stalls at the market as well as the hawker centre next door.

Najib, clad in a casual light brown shirt, was accompanied by a team of burly bodyguards. However, no other BN leaders were seen with him, including the candidate, Arif Shah Omar Shah.

Interestingly, every time after Najib shook hands with potential voters, opposition campaigners were on hand to ‘follow up’ by distributing PKR leaflets to them.

At one juncture during his walkabout at the market, an individual shouted ‘Hidup Altantuya’ (Love Live Altantuya), in referring to the killing of Altantuya Shariibuu, the Mongolian beauty closely linked to Najib’s confidant Abdul Razak Baginda.

anwar najib campaign in market 040808 02Five minutes before Najib left the market, Anwar - who was more than an hour late - arrived to the cheers from dozens of PKR and DAP supporters, all armed with party flags (right).

The PKR supremo, spotted in a party cap and sunglasses, however did not immediately enter the market but chose to visit several stalls outside it.

anwar singing in market 040808 03He stopped when he came to Rosmadi Abdul Manap, a blind street performer. To the delight of the crowd, Anwar kneeled down and sang with Rosmadi, ‘Korban Apa Saja’ - the famous song of legend P Ramlee (left).
    
Anwar’s bodyguard then contributed RM50 to Rosmadi. Earlier, a man who was in the Najib’s entourage had given RM100 to the blind singer.
                            
Later on, a group of youngsters from Youth for Change (Y4C) had Anwar tried their ‘wheel of fortune’ which aimed to raise voters’ awareness.

anwar najib campaign in market 040808 y4c wheel of fortune 04There were six messages on the ‘wheel of fortune’ including informing voters to promote equality and justice when exercising their right to vote (right).

Anwar spun the wheel and he hit ‘Say no to racism, think before you vote’, to which he laughed. “That’s good,” he said.

Anwar gets warmer welcome

Judging from the crowd’s response, Anwar appeared to be the more popular of the two leaders at the market.

arif shah omar shah bn candidate permatang pauh 180808In contrast with the subdued respond to Najib, many of the locals went up to Anwar to shake his hand or take photograph with him.

Meanwhile, BN candidate Arif Shah (left) arrived at the market just as Najib was leaving.

He said he was not aware of Najib’s visit as both of them had separate programmes.

As he was leaving, Arif walked through an opposition’s crowd which was chanting ‘reformasi’. The rotund candidate smiled embarrassingly and waved.

The opposition supporters also distributed leaflets to motorists along the roads, leading to a traffic snarl in the area.                    

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