New Post has been published on The Rakyat Post
New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/03/22/nik-azizs-legacy-gives-pas-the-advantage/
Nik Aziz's legacy gives PAS the advantage
KOTA BARU, March 22, 2015:
It is a tough battle that the Chempaka by-election Independent candidates have got themselves into, contesting for a seat in a constituency that is PAS’ ultimate stronghold.
The state assembly seat was occupied for more than two decades by Kelantan’s former Menteri Besar and PAS spiritual adviser, the late Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, and the legacy he left behind was one that is not easy to break, even for PAS candidate Ahmad Fathan Mahmood@Mahamad, who is facing a tough time breaking out of Nik Aziz’s shadow.
An observation by The Rakyat Post found that the four Independent candidates, Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary, Sharif Mahmood, Fadzillah Hussin and Aslah Mamat, have also realised this as their strategy to garner support focused mainly on pointing out the flaws of Nik Aziz’s administration and stating what they would do differently did not go well with the constituents.
These four, who were relative nobodies, were only heard of when they announced their participation in the by-election, which is taking place today.
The Rakyat Post also found that most of the constituents, when asked about the five candidates, generally said that although they believed Ahmad Fathan was the best person to take over Nik Aziz’s post as a state assembly man, he would never match up to the influence that the beloved political leader had over the people in Kelantan.
When met at Nik Aziz’s house recently, his eldest son, Nik Omar Nik Ab Aziz, described the qualities needed of the person filling in Nik Aziz’s shoes.
“He has to have a good religious education background and be guided by the Islamic principles in everything he does and is responsible and honest.”
He, along with several others interviewed, however, admitted that neither Fathan, or any other candidate, can ever replace Nik Aziz as a religious figure.
“Chempaka is definitely PAS’ area. Everyone here loves Nik Aziz and since he represented PAS his whole life, the people would never chooseany other party. I myself will be voting for PAS candidate tomorrow.
“If Fathan is an Independent candidate, and one of the current four Independents is with PAS, then the one with PAS will almost certainly win the constituents’ votes,” said a 30-year-old resident of Baung, who only wanted to be known as Sofi.
Another constituent, Azizah Mat Jusoh, 54, was on the same page, and although she refused to disclose who she will be voting for today, said that the general consensus among those in Chempaka was that the Nik Aziz’s area would remain with the party that he (Nik Aziz) had pledged his loyalty to all his life.
According to Wan Yusoff, 50, after listening to all the candidates’ arguments as to why they should be the one voted for today, he noticed that only Fathan has promised to hold on to Nik Aziz’s legacy, fighting for Islam the way Nik Aziz had, with the same gentle approach.
“Fathan is a little like Nik Aziz in the way that he, too, is a very religious man. He is an imam at a mosque in Chempaka where Nik Aziz frequented.
“Fathan was also very close to Nik Aziz and he had studied under the latter for a long time, so he has some similar traits as Nik Aziz and because of that, because we know Nik Aziz would have wanted us to vote for Fathan, we will vote for him.”