Nik Aziz’s son leads clerics to victory in PAS youth polls

Nik Aziz’s son leads clerics to victory in PAS youth polls

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Aziz, the son of the PAS spiritual leader, today managed to retain his post with the youth wing’s top leadership despite the popularity drop he suffered following his open attacks on party leaders recently.

Nik Abduh garnered the second highest number of votes, 194 from the 229 votes cast, in today’s party polls held in conjunction with the youth wing’s 50th muktamar.

Party pundits had earlier discounted Nik Abduh’s chances of retaining his post after he openly criticised his father’s close aides through a posting in his personal blog, accusing them of influencing his father to reject the unity government talks with Umno by distorting facts.

Pas youth members voting today to select their new leadership. - Picture by Choo Choy May

Observers felt that this had also contributed to his failure in wresting the Kelantan PAS youth chief post at the state level party polls held recently, a sign indicating that his popularity was waning.

Today’s election outcome however showed that Nik Abduh, a staunch follower of the conservative faction held by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, is still a force to be reckon with.

Meanwhile, Riduan Mohamad Noor, also a follower of the conservatives and a teacher by profession, garnered the highest votes with 197 while Firdaus Jaafar, an MP for Jerai received the third highest number of votes with 176.

Out of the 13 committee members voted in, the top half which managed to rake in the highest votes are from the conservative faction, indicating the extensive influence of the clerical faction in the party.

The rest who were voted in to the youth wing’s central committee come from a professional background.

source : www.themalaysianinsider.com