Disappearing After Permatang Pauh Nomination. Where Is Hanafi Mamat?

From Sin Chew Jit Poh

The election campaign went into its fourth day on Tuesday, however, Angkatan Kemajuan Insan Malaysia (AKIM) candidate Hanafi Mamat was nowhere to be seen in Permatang Pauh ever since the nomination day last Saturday.

Similarly, the media have not received any call from AKIM or been informed of any campaign activity or ceramah. There are only two major camps now lobbying for votes, UMNO and PKR.

On the nomination day, Sin Chew Daily reporter was promised an appointment to meet Hanafi for an interview on the following morning (17 August). However, when Sin Chew Daily tried to approach him early in the morning for the exact place and time of interview, Hanafi said apologetically that he was in Kota Bharu.

He told Sin Chew Daily over the phone that he would travel between Permatang Pauh and Kelantan during the campaign period, and when he is away, his 200-member election team would help him campaign for the election.

He felt he did not need to set up too many election offices, or put up posters or organise ceramahs during the campaign period, because what matters most is that he could effectively deliver AKIM's message to the voters.

He said his team would go from door to door to convey AKIM's message while lobbying for votes.

Sin Chew Daily approached him again on Tuesday to find out where exactly he would campaign for the election. Hanafi said he would be back in Permatang Pauh on Wedneday.

It seems that by the time he actually begins his campaign tour, half of the campaign period would have been over. His "composure" has taken many by surprise.

We have no idea whether that is his election tactic, showing that he is fully confident of himself and his team, or because he simply has no experience running for the election.

Well, only he himself can tell.

***** Many felt that Hanafi's inclusion was an attempt to whittle down support to Anwar Ibrahim. So what happened? The candidate got cold feet? Or perhaps the campaign strategy inspired by Umno had gone haywire and therefore aborted. Not that it would have made much of a difference to the inevitable final result.