Why Nik Aziz’s son not chosen

(The Star) KOTA BARU: Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz’s father may be one of the most influential men in PAS but that certainly did not guarantee him the Kelantan PAS Youth chief post.

The only son of Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Nik Abduh’s fall from grace was largely attributed to a controversy in which he described his father’s advisers as pembantu sesat (people who provide inaccurate information) in his blog.

Party members showed their displeasure by voting in Mengkebang assemblyman Abdul Latif Abdul Rahman, who won by a 22-vote majority.

Nik Abduh’s fate was sealed when a day before the party assembly, his father had called a press conference at which he criticised the son over the blatant remarks which had caused disunity among the members.

Although still living under the same roof with his father in Pulau Melaka, Nik Abduh alleged that some of his father’s closest aides were pembantu sesat especially over the unity government issue.

All this happened while Nik Aziz was in Mecca performing the Umrah.

His views drew flak from all quarters and he was summoned before the PAS Council of Clerics to explan his outburst.

The adamant Nik Abduh, however, said he was willing to face the music and would continue to critisice some party members in his blog to keep them on their toes.

“I lost because of the criticisms in my blog and I paid a heavy price, I hope the new line-up would bring PAS Youth to greater heights,” he told the delegates shortly after the results were announced.

Resembling his father in his younger days, the 39-year-old is considered a loner and often found it difficult to socialise with party members.

Nik Abduh’s rise up the political ladder had been slow but certain although many people kept comparing him with his father’s popular firebrand politics.

“I believe Nik Abduh lost because of the statement made by his own father,” a delegate who declined to be named said. “It is an indication that Nik Abdul Aziz is displeased with his son.

“To make matters worse, outgoing Kelantan PAS Youth chief Zaki Ibrahim had indirectly criticised Nik Abduh over the battle between the spiritualists and the modernists during the assembly.

“This proves that democracy is alive in PAS and it does not matter if you are the son of a powerful cleric (ulamak) or not,” said the delegate.