IF there is anyone besides the candidates who needs to prove his worth in the upcoming Permatang Pauh by-election, it is Ezam Mohd Nor. One of the most watched for aspects of the campaign will be how well the one-time Parti Keadilan Rakyat Youth leader uses his oratorical skills to attack his former mentor, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.Ezam was very vocal in criticising Umno's leadership, particularly on alleged corruption in the Barisan Nasional government, before he rejoined the party in late May. He continued to do so after he left PKR two years ago and set up the Movement for Democracy and Anti-Corruption (Gerak).Ezam has vowed to do all he can to deny Anwar victory and return to active politics. He even offered himself as the Umno candidate although he pledged to support anyone picked by the party.The by-election is by far the best platform for Ezam to convince Umno members unhappy with, and suspicious of his return to Umno, that he is sincere in fighting for the cause. His re-entry into the party has been met with distrust and even hostility. Some senior party leaders openly showed they were less than thrilled by his presence, fearing him as a Trojan horse for Anwar's comeback into the party.Ezam, who has been travelling the country helping Umno reconnect with the Malay grassroots, has called Anwar a traitor to the Malays because of the latter's alleged willingness to do away with the New Economic Policy and compromise on Bumiputera privileges in exchange for non-Malay support. He charged that Anwar was willing to risk the country's political and economic stability to pursue his political ambitions."My priority is to campaign against Anwar and I support any candidate picked by BN," he said at a Malay unity gathering at Politeknik Permatang Pauh recently. At a talk organised by the Shah Alam Umno division last month, Ezam warned Anwar not to implicate him in the conspiracy that Anwar claimed was behind the latest sodomy charge.He threatened to divulge secrets that he claimed could disgrace Anwar's family, a move he said he would be forced to make to defend his dignity after he heard allegations that he received millions of ringgit to join Umno.Ezam was confidential secretary to Anwar from 1996 until the then deputy prime minister's expulsion from the government and Umno in 1998. The by-election will be a testing ground for those in Umno who doubt him, as well as those who see him as Anwar's most credible critic. What Ezam says and does during the campaign will be monitored with eagle eyes both in and outside Umno.
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