BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) retains the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat after its advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim won the by-election Tuesday with a 15,671-vote majority.

Anwar, 61, garnered 31,195 votes, defeating BN candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, 51, who obtained 15,524 votes. Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) candidate Hanafi Mamat, 61, lost his deposit after getting only 92 votes. There were 447 spoilt votes.

The results were announced by returning officer Roslan Yahaya at 10.02pm at the Dewan Aminuddin Baki of the Tuanku Bainun Teacher Training Institute, here.

The by-election was held following the resignation of PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the constituency's member of parliament on July 31 to make way for her husband, Anwar, to contest the seat.

In the March 8 general election, Dr Wan Azizah defeated BN's Datuk Pirdaus Ismail with a 13,398-vote majority.

Addressing thousands of his supporters after the results were announced, Anwar reiterated his intention to set up a new government with Pakatan Rakyat.

He said the by-election results were an early signal to achieving his aim.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who had led the BN by-election machinery during campaigning, meanwhile, said BN accepted the results and that democracy was still alive in Malaysia.

"This proves that there had been no manipulation of the democratic process," he said.

Anwar's victory in the by-election means that he will return to Parliament after 10 years following his jail term for abuse of power.

He will also take over the role of opposition leader in Parliament from his wife when debating on the 2009 Budget which will be tabled on Friday.

Anwar was MP for Permatang Pauh from 1982 to 1999.

This by-election, the stiffest between BN and Pakatan Rakyat, saw some aggressive attempts in fishing for votes by both election machinery.

Several incidents were reported since nomination day (Aug 16) with the police receiving 72 reports on various offences including violence and issuing threats.

Arif Shah, who is also Seberang Jaya assemblyman, said although he had lost the by-election, he was ready to serve the residents in Permatang Pauh's two other state constituencies, Penanti and Permatang Pasir.

Hanafi Mamat also accepted the results in good faith, saying that losing the deposit was normal in an election.

-- BERNAMA