Tuesday May 13, 2008

Kelantan PKR chief resigns

By IAN MCINTYRE

KOTA BARU: Kelantan PKR chairman Nik Mahmud Nik Hassan has decided to step down as state party head, signalling a possible rift between the PAS-led state government and its alliance partner.

Nik Mahmud, 62, confirmed he had notified PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he was resigning from his post as state head.

»Anwar has asked me to reconsider but I am steadfast. I will continue to assist PKR in Kuala Lumpur since I now have nothing in Kelantan« NIK MAHMUD NIK HASSAN

“Let someone younger take over. I have been at the helm for the past six years and it is time to step aside,” said the former Land and General Bhd managing director.

Nik Mahmud was a Finance Ministry officer before he was transferred back to his home state in the early 1980s and assumed the role of State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) general manager.

He also recruited current state Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Annuar Musa to join the SEDC. Among his contemporaries is Agriculture and Agro-Based Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.

“Anwar has asked me to reconsider but I am steadfast. I will continue to assist PKR in Kuala Lumpur since I now have nothing in Kelantan.”

It is believed that Nik Mahmud’s hasty departure is due to the rift between PAS and him during the run-up to the March general election, which has remained unresolved.

The outspoken PKR leader is believed to have clashed with PAS over who should contest the Kota Baru parliamentary seat, which was finally allocated to PAS strategist Datuk Wan Ab Rahim Wan Abdullah.

After the election, Nik Mahmud is also believed to have extensively lobbied for PKR members to be given seats in district councils, but the idea never took off with the largely conservative PAS leaders here.

Nik Mahmud said Anwar would declare the new state head, adding that cooperation between Pakatan Rakyat alliance partners should be fundamentally strong over long periods and not only prior to a general election.

In another development, there is strong speculation that Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali may join either PAS or PKR.

Recently, he met Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, where the latter expressed confidence that Ibrahim would continue to be a strategic ally of PAS.

“Ibrahim would never forget PAS’ deeds which enabled him to contest the Pasir Mas seat,” Nik Abdul Aziz said.

Ibrahim is also said to be taking Anwar’s claim that several Barisan Nasional backbenchers may defect to PKR seriously.