Be patient, don’t smear the hypocrites, Nik Aziz advises Khalid

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who is fighting to remain as Selangor Menteri Besar, has gotten advice on how to weather the crisis from none other than the iconic former Kelantan menteri besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Nik Aziz, who was menteri besar for two decades, had advised Khalid to be patient and not smear the munafik (hypocrites) in politics.

“I met Nik Aziz and he gave me advice that, for me, is very difficult to follow,” Khalid said, relating the meeting he had with Nik Aziz during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri break last week.

“He said in politics there are many munafik... He told me to be patient, don’t smear the hypocrites,” Khalid said in his speech to an audience of 300 people at his official residence, in Shah Alam tonight.

Nik Aziz, who is also PAS’ influential spiritual leader, has backed Khalid against the latter’s own party’s attempt to remove him as menteri besar.

PKR had decided that it wants to replace Khalid, who is from PKR and is in his second term as menteri besar. It claimed this was necessary as there were several “integrity issues” that cropped up about him.

Before the Aidilfitri festival last month, PKR had laid out this proposal to DAP and PAS along with Dr Wan Azizah’s name as the candidate who would replace Khalid.

The two parties were supposed to deliberate it in their respective meetings on August 10.

However, in a surprising announcement, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat had come out to support Khalid.

Yesterday, the influential PAS Shura Council also decided that it would support Khalid.

In its statement, which was signed by the council’s chairman Nik Aziz, it said that the appointment of Khalid as menteri besar is the shared right between all three Pakatan parties.

The council said as long as Khalid had not breached the trust put upon him as menteri besar which would then justify his removal, the council would continue to support him.

“If he is found guilty by an authority such as the Anti-Corruption Agency or the Court, the council is prepared to re-evaluate his position,” the statment said.

In his speech, Khalid added that Nik Aziz reminded him that the message of Islam could be spread by Prophet Muhammad without resorting to slander and smear tactics.

“He reminded me that the Prophet could spread the message of Islam without scandalising others even though they were bad people. Instead he did this by correcting them.

“I do not know if I can do this but I will do my best and act responsibly,” he said.

Khalid said even though Selangor was going through political upheaval, the DAP still put their trust in him to perform his duties as menteri besar.

“Even though the DAP said we are not right but not one of them said that a government ruled by Islamic principles is not trustworthy and that it lied to the public. Instead it has performed its duties well.

“Even though they may not like us, their people like us more compared to their own,” he said to loud applause from the audience.