SINCE Kelantan became a stronghold of Pan-Malayan Islamic Party (PAS) in 1959, this is probably the first time when young Kelantanese appear on social media to express their disgust with their senior leaders of the Islamist party.
Taking to TikTok, an unnamed Kelantanese young man had targeted mainly Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah and PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang.
Although the loyalty of its supporters has always assured PAS of its votes, the Islamist party may be losing its grip on Kelantan just like what happened between 1974 and 1990 when Barisan Nasional (BN) wrested control of the state.
Speaking in the Kelantanese dialect, the TikToker said he was “very satisfied” to see a huge turn-out at the Malaysia Madani Aidilfitri Open House hosted by the unity government in Kota Bharu on Saturday (May 13).
He was also heard challenging Nik Amar to a debate after the latter had earlier predicted that the turnout at the open house would be ‘insignificant’. Sources, however, claimed that at least 15,000 people had attended the event.
He was joined in by other young Kelantanese who poked fun at PAS leaders’ “Fourteen Zero” slogan which claims that 140 MPs would be submitting their statutory declaration (SDs) to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to topple the unity government.
Frustration, opined Amanah vice-president Senator Datuk Husam Musa, has crept in amid unbearable annual monsoon flooding, logging issues and water woes which have become permanent features in the state yet nothing much has been done except incessant finger pointing at the federal government.
“When there were major floods affecting the ordinary people in the East Coast, some PAS leaders were away holidaying overseas,” Husam who was sacked from PAS in April 2016 lashed out.
The state’s water woes, Husam alleged, was not “due to a matter of a lack of money but a blatant abuse of funds”. To this, the Kota Bahru-born Husam cited a cheque of RM600 mil which then finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin had handed over to the menteri besar to develop Kelantan’s water infrastructure.
In fact, Anwar’s earlier meeting with Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob had also given him hope that there would be greater cooperation between the Federal government and the PAS-controlled state to solve its long-term water woes.
At the same time, Anwar had also offered his olive branch to Hadi. According to popular PKR-linked preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin, the Pakatan harapan (PH) chairman was hoping to strike a brotherly relationship between him and the Marang MP.
According to UMNO sources, while he was campaigning for the deputy party president in 1993, Anwar had “never written off anyone”. He believes in turning tables, forging alliances and using his personal charm to persuade those against him to back him.
“The PM wants to make sure that PAS’ attitude in dealing with issues that arise does not deter nation-building efforts,” Wan Ji was quoted saying. “While asking about the developments of (PAS former spiritual advisor, the late) Nik Aziz’s children, he also mentioned the spirit of brotherhood between him and his old friends, including Hadi.” – May 16, 2023
Pics credit: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Facebook
