|
PAS president Hadi Awang earlier said his party would focus on local issues and how best it could service constituents during campaigning. However, given Umno’s tack, PAS may not be allowed to veer much from the prickly issue of “unity talks”. By Wong Choon Mei, Suara Keadilan
In a telling sign of how heated campaigning in the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan is set to become, Umno leaders went on all-out offensive against PAS, in particular attacking its revered spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat. “It is Tok Guru who rejected unity,” said the usually mild-mannered Kelantan Umno chief Mustapa Mohamed, referring to Nik Aziz.
.
“PAS says if you do not vote for them, then you will not go to heaven. But what about people outside Malaysia? Will they all go to hell? This is not according to the scripture. “They say Umno has rejected Islam but we go to the same mosques and follow the same commandments. These men are trying to deceive us in the search for power.” Harsh his words may be but they are not unexpected as an emotional campaign filled with fire and brimstone rhetoric has already been predicted. Also as forecast, Umno has directed its anger at Nik Aziz, whom it blames for rejecting its offer for “unity talks”. In doing so, the Kelantan Menteri Besar not only embarrassed Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is Umno president, but he also gave voice to the general feeling amongst PAS members that Umno was only out to split their party and destroy the Pakatan Rakyat coalition along the way. “Tok Guru used to want to join Barisan Nasional. He praised the federal constitution but now he says it does not follow Islam,” said another Umno leader Aanuar Musa. “He called Umno kaffirs (heathens) for working with Chinese and Indians but now PAS has partnered PKR and DAP.” Unity talks Annuar and Mustapa were speaking at an Umno ceramah or political lecture at Manek Urai late on Monday night. Nominations were confirmed earlier in the day, paving the way for official campaigning to begin until polling takes place on July 14. Police too are expecting potential outbursts and have deployed a huge 3,000-strong unit to the quiet town, some two hours drive from the Kelantan capital of Kota Baru. Representing PAS is 50-year old Mohd Fauzi Abdullah, an affluent self-made trader with a thriving fish wholesaling business. Umno is represented by Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat, a 39-year old UTM graduate and a former manager at government agency Kesedar. Both men are local and already active in politics. Mohd Fauzi is PAS Kuala Krai treasurer, while Tuan Aziz is the Umno Kuala Krai Youth chief. PAS president Hadi Awang earlier said his party would focus on local issues and how best it could service constituents during campaigning. However, given Umno’s tack, PAS may not be allowed to veer much from the prickly issue of “unity talks”. This subject actually originated from Hadi himself but it was an initial skeletal concept, as in the form of a yet-to-be-fully-filled-out idea. Recently, it was taken over by Najib and pushed as a proposal for a Malay power pact between Umno and PAS. “PAS hates Umno, but Umno does not hate PAS. If we played politics of hate, as federal government, Umno would have flattened PAS long ago,” Annuar continued to lash out. “But even if you do not vote for Umno, you are still our citizens and we still care for you. Now is not the time for divide and rule but to think of the future.”
 |
The Blogs 
