Mat Sabu is Nik Aziz’s choice

Thursday December 4, 2008 - staronline

KOTA BARU: The “name game” for the impending Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election has started, with Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat stating his choice.

The party’s tok guru (spiritual head) thinks PAS vice-president Mohamad Sabu, who lost in the contest for the seat in the March general election, is best-equipped to regain the seat, describing him as someone with the “gift of the gap.”

“He is very articulate to the extent that I cannot do what he can do when he takes to the stage.

“However, this is my personal opinion and it is entirely up to PAS and the Opposition alliance to decide who should be fielded,’’ he told reporters after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting here yesterday.

The Kuala Terengganu seat fell vacant on Nov 28 following the death of the Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Razali Ismail, 59, who was the Deputy Education Minister.

PAS deputy president Nasha­ruddin Mat Isa was quoted as saying that after talks with PKR and DAP, it was unanimously decided that the opposition front would field a PAS candidate for the seat.

In the March elections, Razali had defeated Mohamad by 648 votes in a three-way contest.

Meanwhile, Nik Aziz said that having a constitutional court like in Thailand could solve many problems, from corruption to racial issues, in the country.

He urged the Government to consider setting up such a court to arbitrate on issues which have long been debated and not resolved.

“What happened in Bangkok is a good example of what an independent court can do,’’ he added.