Tussle For Kelantan MB Post.
A News Analysis By Noor Hammad Wariman.
While Umno leaders are busy making plans to capture Kelantan in the next general election, several PAS leaders are said to be jostling to take over as menteri besar from the ageing Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
They are said to have started their preparations in 2004 when Nik Abdul Aziz had to undergo treatment at the National Heart Institute.
The most active among the PAS hopefuls seems to be Public Administration, Economic Planning, Finance and Social Development Committee chairman, Datuk Husam Musa, who is also the party's vice-president and Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner II.
Husam is seen as the favourite to replace Nik Abdul Aziz because he had often replaced the menteri besar at the weekly religious sessions held at the Kota Baharu PAS headquarters, and was often picked to speak to the Press on state government policies. An economics graduate from Universiti Malaya, he was appointed as the MB's press secretary when PAS took Kelantan in 1990 and was later picked to contest the Kijang state seat in the 1995 general election.
He became more prominent lately and was picked to announce the launch of the gold dinar by Nik Abdul Aziz on Sept 20, side-stepping the more senior Deputy Menteri Besar, Datuk Ahmad Yakob. However, Umno leaders in the state are not at all certain that Musa would get the job.
Kelantan Umno information chief Datuk Alwi Che Mat believes that Nik Aziz would choose Information, Education, Science and Technology Committee chairman, Nik Mohamed Amar Nik Abdullah, a man with a religious and ulama background who incidentally is the son of former PAS stalwart Nik Abdullah Arsyad.
Nik Abdullah was well-known as an ulama in Kelantan and was Nik Abdul Aziz's mentor and close friend. Nik Mohamed Amar is the state PAS Commissioner III.
"Husam is seen as a capable administrator, but Nik Aziz is certain to chose one who can continue the ulama tradition in Kelantan's leadership and Nik Amar fits the bill," Alwi said.
Kelantan Umno Youth leader Dali Husin believes that if Husam was picked, the ulama-style leadership would be eroded in Kelantan.
He said state executive councillor Takiyuddin Hassan, who was said to be eyeing the MB's post, was no longer in the running because of his lifestyle and his not being a true son of Kelantan.
Several political observers said that the current Deputy Menteri Besar, Datuk Ahmad Yakob, stands no chance in the contest because no deputy menteri besar had ever filled the post in Kelantan's history.
The four deputy menteris besar in Kelantan under the Barisan Nasional -- Tan Sri Hussein Ahmad, Datuk Ahmad Rastom Ahmad Maher, Datuk Ariffin Said and Datuk Wan Ismail Wan Yusof -- never became menteri besar.
Under PAS rule, Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman who was deputy MB for three terms was also not considered for the post. PAS quietly sidelined Abdul Halim quietly by fielding him to contest the Pengkalan Chepa parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election.
-- BERNAMA
While Umno leaders are busy making plans to capture Kelantan in the next general election, several PAS leaders are said to be jostling to take over as menteri besar from the ageing Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
They are said to have started their preparations in 2004 when Nik Abdul Aziz had to undergo treatment at the National Heart Institute.
The most active among the PAS hopefuls seems to be Public Administration, Economic Planning, Finance and Social Development Committee chairman, Datuk Husam Musa, who is also the party's vice-president and Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner II.
Husam is seen as the favourite to replace Nik Abdul Aziz because he had often replaced the menteri besar at the weekly religious sessions held at the Kota Baharu PAS headquarters, and was often picked to speak to the Press on state government policies. An economics graduate from Universiti Malaya, he was appointed as the MB's press secretary when PAS took Kelantan in 1990 and was later picked to contest the Kijang state seat in the 1995 general election.
He became more prominent lately and was picked to announce the launch of the gold dinar by Nik Abdul Aziz on Sept 20, side-stepping the more senior Deputy Menteri Besar, Datuk Ahmad Yakob. However, Umno leaders in the state are not at all certain that Musa would get the job.
Kelantan Umno information chief Datuk Alwi Che Mat believes that Nik Aziz would choose Information, Education, Science and Technology Committee chairman, Nik Mohamed Amar Nik Abdullah, a man with a religious and ulama background who incidentally is the son of former PAS stalwart Nik Abdullah Arsyad.
Nik Abdullah was well-known as an ulama in Kelantan and was Nik Abdul Aziz's mentor and close friend. Nik Mohamed Amar is the state PAS Commissioner III.
"Husam is seen as a capable administrator, but Nik Aziz is certain to chose one who can continue the ulama tradition in Kelantan's leadership and Nik Amar fits the bill," Alwi said.
Kelantan Umno Youth leader Dali Husin believes that if Husam was picked, the ulama-style leadership would be eroded in Kelantan.
He said state executive councillor Takiyuddin Hassan, who was said to be eyeing the MB's post, was no longer in the running because of his lifestyle and his not being a true son of Kelantan.
Several political observers said that the current Deputy Menteri Besar, Datuk Ahmad Yakob, stands no chance in the contest because no deputy menteri besar had ever filled the post in Kelantan's history.
The four deputy menteris besar in Kelantan under the Barisan Nasional -- Tan Sri Hussein Ahmad, Datuk Ahmad Rastom Ahmad Maher, Datuk Ariffin Said and Datuk Wan Ismail Wan Yusof -- never became menteri besar.
Under PAS rule, Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman who was deputy MB for three terms was also not considered for the post. PAS quietly sidelined Abdul Halim quietly by fielding him to contest the Pengkalan Chepa parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election.
-- BERNAMA
posted by The Malaysian. at 11/03/2006 10:18:00 AM
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