Nik Aziz will not run for PAS presidency
KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 – Despite support from the grassroots to run for the party presidency PAS spiritual advisor Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat will not run for the post, his senior aide said today.
“He thanked Bukit Bintang for nominating him, but he said ‘no’, partly because of his health, as the president would have to go everywhere,” said Nik Aziz’s political secretary Anual Bakri Haron.
Last weekend Bukit Bintang PAS nominated Nik Aziz for the presidency in what was seen as a rejection of Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s proposal to form a unity government with Barisan Nasional, which was subsequently withdrawn.
But the nomination was also perceived by some to be an isolated case and made without understanding on the position of spiritual advisor held by Nik Aziz who chairs the party’s religious scholar’s consultative council in framing the Islamist party's policies.
The Bukit Bintang division chief Radzi Hashim however said that the nomination was the wish of the members who wanted Nik Aziz to hold an executive position in the party.
The division also nominated vice president Mohamad Sabu for the deputy presidency.
Anual told The Malaysian Insider that the Kelantan mentri besar respects the democratic right of the party divisions to nominate anyone but would not endorse any candidate in the deputy president contest.
For the post of deputy president Datuk Husam Musa has become a more popular candidate to challenge incumbent Nasharuddin Mat Isa, who is seen as Hadi’s ally and was heavily involved in the secret meetings with Umno leaders after the general election last year.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said he would wait for another week or two before deciding whether or not to run for the party’s No 2.
“Many divisions have left the nomination to the respective committees to decide, but I feel the situation is very encouraging for me,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
He refused to comment on the imminent proxy battle between Nik Aziz and Hadi in the deputy presidential race but claimed he would complement the incumbent president’s role.
“Tuan Guru Hadi is a very respectable figure among the Islamist movements, while I am a familiar face in NGOs and non-Muslims organisations so I will be able to give the party a Malaysian image in line with the party’s manifesto, PAS for all,” said Mohamad.
“He thanked Bukit Bintang for nominating him, but he said ‘no’, partly because of his health, as the president would have to go everywhere,” said Nik Aziz’s political secretary Anual Bakri Haron.
Last weekend Bukit Bintang PAS nominated Nik Aziz for the presidency in what was seen as a rejection of Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s proposal to form a unity government with Barisan Nasional, which was subsequently withdrawn.
But the nomination was also perceived by some to be an isolated case and made without understanding on the position of spiritual advisor held by Nik Aziz who chairs the party’s religious scholar’s consultative council in framing the Islamist party's policies.
The Bukit Bintang division chief Radzi Hashim however said that the nomination was the wish of the members who wanted Nik Aziz to hold an executive position in the party.
The division also nominated vice president Mohamad Sabu for the deputy presidency.
Anual told The Malaysian Insider that the Kelantan mentri besar respects the democratic right of the party divisions to nominate anyone but would not endorse any candidate in the deputy president contest.
For the post of deputy president Datuk Husam Musa has become a more popular candidate to challenge incumbent Nasharuddin Mat Isa, who is seen as Hadi’s ally and was heavily involved in the secret meetings with Umno leaders after the general election last year.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said he would wait for another week or two before deciding whether or not to run for the party’s No 2.
“Many divisions have left the nomination to the respective committees to decide, but I feel the situation is very encouraging for me,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
He refused to comment on the imminent proxy battle between Nik Aziz and Hadi in the deputy presidential race but claimed he would complement the incumbent president’s role.
“Tuan Guru Hadi is a very respectable figure among the Islamist movements, while I am a familiar face in NGOs and non-Muslims organisations so I will be able to give the party a Malaysian image in line with the party’s manifesto, PAS for all,” said Mohamad.
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