Mufti Of Perlis To Take On Anwar At Permatang Pauh?

Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he had no knowledge that the Mufti of Perlis had been made offer to contest the Permatang Pauh by-election on a Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket and stressed that the BN had yet to make a decision on who will be fielded.

The Prime Minister said it could be the offer to Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin might have been made by the people of Permatang Pauh because the mufti hailed from the constituency.

"Maybe the people of his kampung asked him to stand against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) when he (Mohd Asri) came by for a visit," he told reporters here today.

The seat fell vacant after its Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail resigned to pave the way for Anwar, her husband and de facto leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), to contest the seat.

Abdullah said he did not know when such an offer was made to Mohd Asri but it was not he who made it. (Bernama)

***** A contest between these two personalities could be a keen one. The Perlis Mufti is a popular figure, an enlightened man of religion and he could be the perfect foil for Umno.

However given his current position and when considering his views on politics, it seems very unlikely that the Mufti would agree to engage in electoral battle on Umno's behalf. In fact he has been placed on record as having turned down the offer. Still, anything can happen in Bolehland.