YAN, Nov 2  — Latching onto the budding pains felt from the government’s recent subsidy cuts that have seen a price hike in basic foodstuff but rice, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pledged last night to push for higher paddy prices for the farmers that make up Sungai Limau.

Speaking before a massive rally of thousands at Dulang Besar here on last night, the Permatang Pauh MP said it is time someone fight for the poor and hardworking farmers whose rights were often ignored or overlooked.

“I was told that PAS will retain this state seat on Monday so all I’m asking is for a bigger mandate that I can use to bring up issues such as the paddy price in Parliament and to fight for all the Sungai Limau and all farmers’ rights,” he told a captive crowd in his third ceramah here on Friday night in the run-up to polling day on Monday.

He pointed out to the rapt audience, most of whom consisting of farmers and fishermen, that the prices of petrol, sugar and even flour had increased but not paddy.

“I know for the past 20 years the costs of living has increased and yet, the poor farmers, the paddy farmers, all still earning the same income,” he said.

The PKR de facto leader promised to fight in Parliament for an increase in the paddy price to boost the farmers’ income.

“Mark my words, I will fight for you in the next two weeks in Parliament, I will keep pushing them to take heed of your needs,” he said amid lourd cheers from the crowd.

Anwar, who arrived at Sungai Limau at around 5pm after visiting his constituency in Permatang Pauh, is lending his support for the PAS candidate Mohd Azam Abd Samat in the Sungai Limau by-election.

The state seat, covering a mostly rural area of paddy fields and fishing villages, was vacated after the former Kedah Menteri Besar Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak died of heart complications on September 26.

The constituency has been a PAS stronghold ever since the late Azizan won the seat back in 1995 and had held onto the seat until he died.

About 27,000 Sungai Limau voters will be casting their votes to choose between Mohd Azam and Barisan Nasional’s Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim in two days.

Tomorrow is the last day of campaigning for both parties which have to cease all such activities by midnight.

In almost all the rallies he spoke at, Anwar pandered to the predominantly farming community by repeatedly talking about the cut in sugar subsidy and an “apparent lack of interest in the BN government in looking after the poor and underprivileged Malaysians”.

He then reassured the majority Malay voters here that the PAS leadership continues to remain true to their religious teachings, refuting claims by BN that the Islamist party has deviated from its teachings.

“As for the Chinese voters here, don’t worry about any threats they issue, we at Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will take care of everyone’s rights and this includes Malays, Chinese and Indians,” he said.

The PR leader also touched on the various allocations and contributions BN ministers, including the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had been raining down on the constituents in the past week.

“If they give, you take, if they ask, do you support, say you support but you don’t have to tell them who you support,” he said, in a joking tone.

PAS by-election candidate Azam delivering his speech during the meet the people session at Sungai Limau, Kedah.

He told the farmers that the BN had long neglected to champion for their welfare, which was why they remained poor despite their many years of toil in the paddy fields.

“So remember this when you vote, give us a bigger mandate so that I can go to Parliament and fight for all the poor farmers, not only those in Sungai Limau, but in the whole of Malaysia,” he said.