Kelantan is shaken and stirred

THE stronghold of Malaysia's opposition parties has always been Kelantan, the Malay-majority state in the east coast.

In the 2004 general elections when Umno-led Barisan Nasional was at its strongest - due to reform promises made by the then-new 'Mr Clean' Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi - the opposition was in disarray.

Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) lost Terengganu state, and was nearly wiped out in the Malay-majority states of Kedah and Perlis.

From 27 Parliament seats prior to the 2004 general election, PAS was left with seven. Still, PAS managed to hang onto Kelantan, with a slim majority of just two seats in the state assembly - PAS won 24 seats to 21 by Umno-BN.

If only two PAS assemblymen had defected, Umno-BN would have taken the state. Yet none did despite widespread speculation of multi-million ringgit promises to jump ship.

And after the March 2008 polls, PAS and its two partners in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance won five states.

Now four states are left with PR, after Perak was wrested by BN last February.

PAS has two menteris besar (chief ministers) in Kelantan dan Kedah.

Penang has as its chief minister a leader from PR's Democratic Action Party (DAP), and Selangor a leader from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

PAS, DAP and PKR made up PR.

Selangor and Penang are the most industrialised of all 13 Malaysian states. Top industries are based there, both states have among the biggest ports in Malaysia and the highest-priced houses and commercial buildings.

Yet Kelantan remains the opposition's stronghold because it is seen as the most politically stable, after being under PAS for 19 years now. Its menteri besar is the aging, but revered, Nik Aziz Nik Mat, 77, who is also the spiritual leader of PAS.

Although cash-poor, PAS, Nik Aziz and the Kelantan government are seen as clean, ramrod-straight and the rock on which PR could build its 'church' (or mosque, if you prefer).

For the sake of opposition politics in Malaysia, everyone knows that Kelantan has to remain rock steady. Never mind the typhoons and hurricanes that have hit Kedah, Penang and Selangor.

But in the last few weeks, Kelantan PAS looks like a train wreck.

There are whispers of corruption, nepotism, back-stabbings and possible defections - albeit to another opposition party.

- First, there was the scandal involving the appointment of the son-in-law of Datuk Nik Aziz as CEO of the Kelantan state investment agency, Abdul Ariffahmi Abdul Rahman.

- Although seen as capable, Mr Ariffahmi has been accused of being pushy and brusque, and allegedly name-dropped his father-in-law's revered name too often to get things done his way.

- And then there was an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission into the affairs of the investment agency, Kelantan Menteri Besar Incorporated.

- Mr Ariffahmi did himself no favour by getting his father-in-law, Mr Nik Aziz, to recently terminate the employment of a close aide of a top Kelantan politician, Datuk Husam Musa.

- The aide, Syed Azizi Syed Abdul Aziz, uncovered more worms in the state agency, thus putting pressure on Mr Nik Aziz to remove his son-in-law just two months into the appointment.

- There were also questions why Mr Nik Aziz accepted sponsorhip of a RM65,000 ($27,000) haj package by a staunch supporter. The sponsor who is close to the Menteri Besar also has a timber concession in Kelantan, which raised questions over the propreity of the deal.

- Mr Nik Aziz has since said that he will not perform haj this year, though he angrily retorted that there was nothing wrong with the matter only that mainstream media and new media had attacked him

- And now, there are rumours that Mr Husam has asked to quit his post as the economic, financial planning and welfare minister (state ministerial posts are called Excos).

Mr Nik Aziz has denied that his blue-eyed exco was quitting. And Mr Husam himself also denied the wild talk. In the halls of power in Kota Baru, the state capital, everyone knows that Mr Husam is Mr Nik Aziz's protege.

Mr Nik Aziz announced on Monday the removal of his son-in-law as CEO of the agency. This should reduce pressure on the menteri besar and cool the heads of thos in PAS who were angry about Ariffahmi's appointment and alleged bad moves in office.

- But on Sunday the spiritual leader went further, which would add to the intrigue in Kelantan.

- Mr Nik Aziz heaped praises on Mr Husam. Perhaps too publicly. And certainly by too many words.

- This was what he said, according to Malaysian media:

"I had refrained from praising him all this while to avoid hurting the feelings of other exco members who have done equally well in their respective portfolios.
"But truthfully, he is a unique leader who is instrumental in not only changing the Kelantan political landscape but also the national politics.
"Allah did not create Husam for Kelantan, but for all Malaysians."

That last praise: God created Mr Husam not just for the poor state but for all Malaysians, is being repeated and analysed by pro-PAS blogs - both by those who love him and those who don't.

The chattering classes within the conservative Islamic state cannot believe their ears.

And on Monday, there is news that PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa - who defeated Husam to retain the deputy's post just five months ago in June - has been rushed to hospital. This could only add to the intrigue in PAS at a time when its rock-steady state is wobbling.

On the sidelines, Umno-BN is smiling, amid rumours that Prime Minister Najib Razak might call for snap elections around the middle of next year to get his own mandate.

But that's another story.

Kelantan MB's son-in-law relinquishes CEO post

2009/11/23

KOTA BARU: Kelantan Menteri Besar Incorporated chief executive officer Abdul Ariffahmi Abdul Rahman has been ordered to relinquish the post today.

Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said the decision to call for his son-in-law's resignation was made on the advice of the PAS central leaders.

The PAS leaders, who included party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din, vice-president Sallahuddin Ayub and treasurer Dr Hatta Ramli had a meeting which lasted for about an hour with Nik Abdul Aziz at the Kelantan Menteri Besar's official residence, JKR 10, here earlier today.

"All of them advised me to safeguard the good name of Islam and PAS. Their advice is for my son-in-law to relinquish the post.

"When I appointed him before, the (state) legal officer did not say anything. So I appoint him," Nik Abdul Aziz, who is also PAS spiritual leader, told a news conference after the meeting.

The issue involving Abdul Ariffahmi surfaced after officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided the PBMK office to investigate allegations of cronyism and power abuse over his appointment by the Menteri Besar.

Meanwhile, Ariffahmi, who was also present at the news conference, said he accepted the decision and would tender his resignation. - BERNAMA

BN Government Must Always Be The Champion For All Malaysians, Says Najib

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) government must be deeply committed in championing the cause of the ordinary people if it wants to remain in power in the next general election and beyond, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said the fall of some of the established parties in other countries, particularly the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan, should be a lesson for the BN to constantly serve the people better.

"I was made to understand that one of the reasons LDP lost (in the recent general election) was because the government was said to be out of touch with the people.

"This reminds me and the BN government including LDP in Sabah of the need to always subscribe to our ideals, that is to serve the people and not to be served.

"Let the BN be the champion for all Malaysians," he said when opening the Sabah-based Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) congress at 1Borneo, near here on Sunday.

Also present was LDP president Datuk VK Liew.

Najib, who is also BN chairman, said the opposition in the country made an impact in the last general election because the BN then was weak.

"It is not because the opposition is popular but it is because we lost popularity among the people," he said.

In this respect, he called on the BN component parties to work hard to serve the ordinary people.

"We must be committed and not just pay lip service to the people. This is the only way for us to win the hearts and minds of the people," he said.

On development, Najib assured that the Federal government was going all out to minimise disparity in terms of development between Sabah and Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia.

"That's why we give big allocations for Sabah and Sarawak with regards to development in rural areas," he said.

Najib said the Federal government also recognised the wishes of the people of Sabah and Sarawak to celebrate the formation of Malaysia and declared that Malaysia Day, which falls on Sept 16 annually, would be a national public holiday from next year.

"We recognised that the formation of Malaysia as an independent and sovereign country was an important chapter in the nation's history," he said.