Group holds protest against Nik Aziz

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — A group calling itself Jemaah Prihatin Rakyat Kelantan is planning a protest against Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (left) this morning outside the Kelantan state secretariat in Kota Baru.

A text message calling all Umno members to join in the protest at 10am today, began circulating yesterday.

But a Kelantan Umno Youth official told The Malaysian Insider the protest was an initiative by the NGO and not the party.

The group also planned to hand over a memorandum to the Kelantan mentri besar for allegedly praying for the destruction of Umno and the party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak after the federal government refused to pay oil royalty to the state government. It also wants Nik Aziz who became the mentri besar in 1990 to step down immediately.

The PAS spiritual adviser when delivering the Eid sermon last Friday had prayed for the Najib’s administration to honour state’s right to five percent of the petroleum extracted off its shore.

Nik Aziz also said that he would pray for the demise of Najib and Umno if the Federal government refuses to pay the oil royalty.

Since last weekend, Nik Aziz has been under criticism from Umno and religious scholars linked to the party for the controversial prayer.

The prayer has become the latest instrument used by the state opposition to undermine Nik Aziz’s leadership.

Today, the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia front-paged a report calling for Nik Aziz’s resignation for allegedly causing uneasiness among the Muslim community.

Nik Aziz has been bogged down by accusations of cronyism and corruption since early this month over the controversial appointment of his son-in-law Ariffahmi Abdul Rahmad as the CEO of Kelantan Mentri Besar Corporation (PMBK) and for receiving sponsorship to perform the pilgrimage in Mecca from a businessman.

He has cancelled the religious trip and ordered his son-in-law to leave the state investment arm following pressure from party leaders and the public.

The various issues surrounding the Kelantan administration had started a debate on succession plan by state PAS leaders.