My day in Permatang Pauh !

Well folks , I drove into Simpang Ampat around 4pm. today after a busy "treasure hunt" weekend in Penang, to meet up with a motley bunch of socio-political bloggers like Pet, Haris , Bernard, Din Merican and Gus Gan who have set-up "blog-base" in the "swankest" hotel in town.....a humble 2 storey and 1 star hotel where a room to stay in, is almost impossible! I even had to throw names at the reception, to secure a much sought-after room for the night !

All the way into town I was side-peeked with suspicious glances by the locals. Probably this was the first time this many "out-siders" both Malaysians and foreign media crews had converged into this sleepy hollow by the hundreds. I did say before ....the world is watching us !

I passed rows and rows of shabby pre-war shophouses which have long been abandoned for reasons only the owners would know. The town probably is experiencing a wave of outsiders making a bee-line to catch the last day of "ceremahs" and to witness history in making !

Politicians, dignitaries, foreign tv crews and supporters from all walks of life dropped by this Mahaa Sri restaurant which is on the ground floor of the hotel and wi-fi friendly where all the heavy-weight bloggers, dressed in very casual and light attire, were busy hunched over their lap-tops up-dating and moderating their blogs and posting events of the day.

I for one would find it hard to come back here for any reason other then to be in the thick of the "mother of all by-elections" !!

Whatever the out-come of the results tomorrow, this town will be remembered for only one thing.....a dreary town which changed a new or again festered a corrupt, government, and I am all for change.

Change is always good !

**updates 2.40am-26-8-2008 (D-Day):

Went to the final "ceramah" with the same motley group around 9.30pm. in a field I swear I would never find on my own in a drizzle. We made our way by foot for the last 500 meters with the sea of people from all walks of life moving in one direction, armed with umbrellas by the hundreds in the drizzle towards an open field surrounded by factories .As usual, Pet was the main attraction and played well to the local crowd that was clapping and cheering when they finally recognised their hero and he as usual obliged everyone with a pose for photographs.

Once inside I was shocked at the size of the turn-out and even the drizzle couldn't dampen their spirits ! It didn't matter if I reported that there were 30 thousand or 3 thousand people.

And of course hovering above in the sky was the ever present "eye in the sky" searching with spot-lights on, for the sight of the "ceramah".....guess this time they missed the venue by a mile because of the gloomy weather coupled with the darkness of night ! About 25 journos both local and foreign had set up their equipment early and filming everything in sight, and interviewing people at random in the drizzle.

One by one the speakers from the current "opposition" coalition spoke, from Jeff Ooi to Azmin to Zaharin to Wan Azizah to Husam Musa to Guan Eng to his daddy Kit and each sentence uttered, being greeted with loud thunderous clapping and cheering and chanting ! It was magic to see those faces of simple yet anticipating locals, wet yet undeterred to leave to the more comfortable safety of their homes, mesmerised by the sight and voices of their heroes !

The wet night air was filled with hope and amid the muddy field lay the reason to this nights affair.....Anwar, the man who they hope to send to parliament and lead them out of the messy and corrupt situation they have endured for the past 50 years or so!

I left the venue around 11.50pm with a runny nose and cloths soaked to the skin but with the hope of a brand new day when the sun rises in the morning.....and the begining to an end.

People of Permatang Pauh hold the answer to that hope.......the rest of us will just have to pray !

Good night Malaysian where ever you are !