PAS sacks Nik Omar for contesting as PKR candidate

KOTA BARU: PAS has sacked Nik Omar Nik Abdul Aziz, who is the son of the party's former spiritual leader, the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, for contesting the Chempaka state seat as a PKR-Amanah candidate in the 14th General Election (GE14).
PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan told a media conference here today that the decision was made after discussing the matter with the party vice-president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
Nik Omar, who is the second son of the former Kelantan mentri besar, is in a three-cornered fight against Mohamed Fareez Noor Amran of Barisan Nasional (BN) and incumbent Ahmad Fathan Mahmood @ Mahamad of PAS for the Chempaka state seat, which is a PAS stronghold.
Ahmad Fathan won the seat in a by-election which was held following the death of Nik Abdul Aziz in 2015.
Nik Abdul Aziz won the seat with a majority of 6,500 votes in the 13th General Election in 2013.
Takiyuddin said Nik Omar's decision to stand as Pakatan Harapan candidate did not come as a surprise to PAS, but regarded the move as going against his father's struggle and mother's wish for him to remain with PAS.
"He has to remember that PAS will go all out against him, although he was with us (PAS) before," he added.
Nik Omar's younger brother, Nik Mohamad Abduh, who is the fifth sibling and incumbent Pasir Mas Member of Parliament, is contesting as a PAS candidate for the Bachok parliamentary seat.
Meanwhile, Nik Omar, when met by reporters here, said his decision to contest on PKR's ticket in Chempaka was to continue his father's legacy in the constituency.
Pakatan Harapan is the best party to take over the country's administration and brings new light to Malaysia, he added.
Although his stand on politics was not the same as that of his late father and Nik Mohamd Abduh, Nik Omar said it did not affect his relations with his other siblings and that they respected his decision.
"Relations have to be maintained, the difference in opinion is because the hair is not the same, but we respect one another. I pray for my brother, Nik Abduh's success in Bachok, and I believe he, too, prays for my success in Chempaka," he added. — Bernama