GEORGE TOWN, Feb 10 — Penang Umno has been gearing up its machinery for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat by-election, said its chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman.   

However, he said the committee was awaiting the official statement on the seat falling vacant before discussing related matters.

"Penang Umno has been making preparations in the eventuality of a by-election in Permatang Pauh ever since the Court of Appeal found Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim guilty and sentenced him to five years' jail last year," he said in a statement, here, today.   

Anwar today lost his eligibility as a Member of Parliament after the Federal Court rejected his last appeal against the conviction and jail sentence for sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, seven years ago. 

Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria who headed a five-member panel, delivered the judgement and upheld the five-year jail sentence of the Court of Appeal.

Zainal Abidin hoped all parties would respect the decision of the Federal Court.

Meanwhile, state Umno secretary Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir, when contacted, said a meeting would be held tonight to discuss preparations for the Permatang Pauh by-election.  

Penang PKR chairman Datuk Mansor Othman said the party would also be holding a meeting in Kuala Lumpur tonight to discuss the same matter. — Bernama