Big battle brewing in Kelantan’s Gua Musang

(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A battle is shaping up for the Gua Musang parliamentary seat in Kelantan, the bastion of Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, with PAS’ Kota Baru MP Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah the likely challenger.

It is learnt that the 61-year-old PAS veteran has abandoned his plan to retire and agreed to contest one last time in the general election.

If the battle does take place, it will not be the first in Gua Musang between 74-year-old Tengku Razaleigh, Malaysia’s longest serving parliamentarian and Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim.

The Kota Baru MP was defeated by the Kelantan prince in the 1986 general election.

Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim, a former Kelantan Legislative Assembly Speaker, said on Sunday he was optimistic of beating Tengku Razaleigh this time.

He dismissed as “mind games” speculation that Tengku Razaleigh would be dropped in favour of Gua Musang Wanita Umno head Senator Wan Hazani Wan Mohd Nor.

“I feel Umno is trying to hoodwink PAS. I am preparing my campaign on the basis of taking on Ku Li,” he said. Tengku Razaleigh is affectionately known as Ku Li in Kelantan.

Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim, is known here as one of the “Three Abduls” the others being Pengkalan Chepa MP Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman, 74, and Bukit Tunku assemblyman Datuk Abdul Fatah Mahmood, 65.

The trio form the core of PAS veterans in the state who have been in politics for three decades.

They are credited with having approached Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to contest in Kelantan in the 1970s and had played a role in convincing the latter to become MB after PAS won the state in 1990.

Meanwhile, Datuk Abdul Halim said he would not change his stand on wanting to retire while Datuk Abdul Fatah said he would leave it to the party leadership to decide.