KOTA BARU: A succession plan is being drawn up for PAS spiritual adviser and Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat(Pic).
Nik Aziz is expected to contest for his sixth and likely last term in the coming general election.
PAS Supporters Club Council adviser Hu Phang Chaw said PAS will only announce the plan at a strategic time for the party.
“It is unlikely to be announced now. Now is about preparing for the next election, which is expected in just weeks now.”
He believes the plan was prepared several months ago, but it can only be unveiled at a time of the top leadership’s choosing.
Among those speculated as the PAS spiritual adviser’s successors are state PAS deputy commissioners Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, Husam Musa, and Ahmad Yakcop and State Legislative Assembly Speaker Mohd Nasharuudin Daud.
Nik Abdul Aziz, at the age of 78, is suffering from various ailments associated with old age, and often spends time under medical treatment at various health institutions here.
Hu also said that Kelantan PAS needs to step up on its publicity campaign to inform voters here what the party has achieved for the state in the past 22 years.
He said the party lacks a publicity blitz as many voters remained unaware about its contributions to Kelantan since 1990.
Things like reducing corruption, better local council services, more commercial opportunities and more religious programmes should be highlighted to ensure they remember what PAS did for them.
Instead, PAS seems to be faltering in the face of a onslaught by Barisan Nasional s machinery here, Hu said in an interview.
He suggests that PAS step up its campaigning by holding more political gatherings, giving more reports in the mainstream or alternative media, advertising, displaying more of its achievements through billboards and distributing more pamphlets.
This should counter BN’s campaign strategy, Hu said.
PAS also needs to meet the aspirations of young voters, as the statistics revealed that there are over one million people eligible to vote in the state, of which more than half are youths, he added
In another development, political observer Lukman Mohamad Ghani said that it is up to BN to decide if it wants to field anyone as its candidates even if the person does not belong to any party in the coalition.
BN-friendly candidates can be fielded in the event there are no other suitable candidates from within the coalition, he said.
Lukman, who is a personal aide of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, also said that he has not heard of any recent offer from Pakatan Rakyat about nominating his boss as the prime minister in the event the opposition alliance wins the polls.
“This remains a speculation at best. We will continue to struggle for the people and if they want Tengku Razaleigh as their leader, I think he is ever willing to help.”
Anti-apartheid crusader Nelson Mandela became the president of South Africa when he was 72-years-old, Lukman said in reference to whether the Kelantan prince’s golden years could derail him from becoming prime minister.
