PD by-election: Crowds brave heavy downpour to meet Dr Wan Azizah

PORT DICKSON, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s presence at the forum held at the Teluk Kemang Kariah Mosque here tonight has been delayed for almost an hour, but it did not discourage the crowd from waiting patiently.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, was scheduled to arrive at 9pm, but was delayed for almost an hour due to her busy schedule and heavy downpour in Port Dickson since noon.

One of the residents, Mohd Ridhwan Rosli, 24, said he had to brave heavy downpour to attend the programme to see the PKR president in person.

“I’m very excited ... because not everyone has a chance to see her, so I do not want to miss the chance to see her in person,” he told Bernama.

Another resident Sarimah Nurin Abas, 53, said that she was suitably impressed with the attitude of the country’s number two leader who still made it to attend the programme despite her hectic schedule.

“I am very impressed with her ... despite her busy schedule and having to attend the programme a bit late, she still made it to meet the people here,” he said.

The forum, titled ‘Hijrah Ke Arah Malaysia Baru’, organised by the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM), featured three panellists, namely, Malaysian Youth Council president Jufitri Joha, ABIM president Mohd Raimi Abdul Rahim and Movement for an Informed Society Malaysia (WADAH) president Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, and attended by an approximately 400-strong audience.

Dr Wan Azizah had also chatted and shared selfies with members of the audience before leaving to attend a programme with the Indian community at Bukit Pelanduk, about 35 kilometres from here.

The PKR president was in Port Dickson to assist her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s campaign as Pakatan Harapan candidate in the Port Dickson parliamentary by-election on Saturday.

The Port Dickson parliamentary by-election will witness a seven-cornered fight involving Anwar against PAS candidate Lt Col (Rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar and five other independent candidates including a former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad.

The parliamentary constituency has 75,770 registered voters comprising Malays (43 per cent), Chinese (33 per cent), India (22 per cent) and others (two per cent).

-- BERNAMA