Indie runner Abu Backer quits Bukit Gelugor on eve of polls

GEORGE TOWN, May 24 — Just hours before the campaign period for Bukit Gelugor by-election ends, Independent candidate Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan announced his decision to pull out from the four-cornered fight.

The controversial lawyer, who had drawn attention after he threw himself in front of the Penang chief minister’s car on Tuesday, said he was disappointed at how his efforts at campaigning was blocked at every way.

“I’m disappointed with all this. I’m withdrawing from the contest,” he said at his very first and last ceramah at Padang Suria Kampung Melayu early this evening.

Abu Backer had earlier today claimed that his campaign was “sabotaged” at every turn, ranging from not being able to park his rented caravan in front of the hotel he is staying to being denied permits to hold ceramah in public areas.

“I have applied to hold ceramah at so many places, in Farlim, in Air Itam, in Kampung Melayu, but not one got approved,” he said at a news conference this morning.

However, one of his applications was approved today, which enabled him to hold a ceramah at about 7.30pm where he dropped the bombshell.

“I’m not feeling well, I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” he told The Malay Mail Online when contacted later.

In his brief ceramah, he had also said that he won’t be around in Penang tomorrow and that he will take his supporters to Langkawi.

Questioned about his Langkawi plan later, Abu Backer told The Malay Mail Online that he was just joking.

“It was just a joke. Maybe I will hold a press conference tomorrow to explain further on this,” he said.

According to state Election Commission deputy director Mohd Faiz Shazwan Zainal Abidin, candidates can’t withdraw after nomination day.

He added that the ballot papers have already been printed so Abu Backer’s name and horse logo will still be there.

This means the ballot papers will still have four names and logos — Parti Cinta Malaysia Huan Cheng Guan, DAP Ramkarpal Singh Deo, Abu Backer with the horse logo and Mohd Nabi Bux Mohd Sathar with the hibiscus logo.

The Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat was vacated after the late MP Karpal Singh was killed in a car crash last month.

There are a total 82,431 registered voters in the constituency.

 https://my.news.yahoo.com/indie-runner-abu-backer-quits-bukit-gelugor-eve-150000747.html