Nik Aziz to step down?

Current deputy MB Ahmad Yakob is set to take over the post after Nik Aziz's rule for 23 years.

PETALING JAYA: PAS’ Mursyidul Am Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is all set to let go the Kelantan Menteri Besar seat, a post he had held for the last 23 years.

Party sources revealed that the 81-year-old leader will not take oath as the state’s Menteri Besar following PAS’ return to power in the state in the general election yesterday, and the party is in the midst of looking for a suitable successor.

However, Kamaruddin Jaafar, the former Tumpat member of parliament and ex-PAS secretary general said the speculation about Nik Aziz has been going on since 2004.

“This is news to me…lets wait and see,” he told FMT when contacted.

Sources also revealed that the new Kelantan Menteri Besar would be sworn in at Istana Negeri Kubang Kerian.

The new Kelantan Menteri Besar, sources revealed would be Ahmad Yakob, the PAS state assemblyman for Pasir Pekan, who won the seat with a 5,644 vote majority yesterday.

Ahmad, 63, a retired teacher with 11 children is the Deputy Menteri Besar. He is also the state exco.

Local favourite Husam Musa – a PAS vice president and state exco member in the outgoing state cabinet – who was tipped to replace Nik Aziz has been dropped, said the sources.

In the just concluded polls, Nik Aziz retained his Chempaka state seat with a 6,500 vote majority.

The Muslim ulama became the state’s Menteri Besar in 1990. He joined PAS in 1967 and contested and won the Kelantan Hilir parliamentary seat in a by-election the same year.

He held the seat, later renamed Pengkalan Chepa, until 1986.

In 1982, he was part of a movement by young members to bring change to the party leadership. PAS had lost the Kelantan state elections in 1978 and, as PAS state commissioner, Nik Aziz began to question president Asri Muda’s leadership.

Finally, in the PAS Muktamar that year, Asri was forced to resign.

After stepping aside from federal politics, Nik Aziz won a seat in the Kelantan state assembly in the 1986 general election.

In 1990, PAS managed to wrest control of Kelantan back from Barisan Nasional.

In his capacity as party leader in the state, Nik Aziz became Kelantan Menteri Besar. He succeeded Yusof Rawa as spiritual leader of PAS in 1991.

His administration in Kelantan frequently clashed on the role of Islam in Malaysia with the former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In contrast with the racially-exclusive ruling party Umno, he openly rejects communal politics.

Nik Aziz has been known to command support from non-Muslims in Malaysia and has played a leading role during PAS’ increase in popularity among non-Muslims.