LIBERALS IN PAS JITTERY, NIK AZIZ BACK TO SENSES

PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat has spoken and he spoke his mind – his true mind – about what kind of attributes in the leaders to lead the party. Going by his words, the liberals who are aligned to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will now have to work harder to grab the leadership or ‘lie low’ for one more term before making the ‘hit’.

Nik Aziz had said he wanted to see ulamaks leading the party and in particular ulamak as the deputy president so that the party could achieve its objectives of an Islamic nation. Nik Aziz, whom many thought had ‘sold himself’ to the liberals since he has been following Salor assemblyman Datuk Husam Musa’s advises with regards to the relationship with parties in Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

With Nik Aziz’s latest statement which normally party members take it as a directive – at times even edict to those who idolize him – the liberals and in particular deputy president Datuk Mohamed Sabu or Mat Sabu are getting jittery.

Short of saying Mat Sabu is not in the ulamak category, Nik Aziz statement looked as though he has his ‘senses back’, of course after the party did not perform better after the ‘marriage of convenience and playing second fiddle’ in the opposition alliance.

With the party election looming and to be held in November, the liberals now find its ‘goal to become the majority in the leadership line-up’ getting tougher as the path gets rougher. Mat Sabu managed to oust then incumbent Nasahruddin Mat Isa in 2009 with the help of ‘his liberals supporters’ but this time around, the tide has changed with Nik Aziz’s statement and the support of Ulamak Council for religious people to fill the leadership line-up.

Added to this is the party youth wing’s outbursts on Anwar’s overture to Barisan Nasional (BN) particularly Prime Minister Datuk seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak for a dialogue on co-operation. Nasaruddin was ousted for bridging the ‘enmity’ between Umno and PAS and now, from nowhere, Anwar extent an olive branch to Najib, which had the PAS youth wing ‘doubting Anwar motive’.

Given such background currently surrounding the party, the coming PAS poll seems to be exciting and may probably see the party charting a new path to its old objective.