A PAS booklet revealed that at the Muslim-based political partys ceramah (gathering) in Kedah last month where a police truck was set on fire, Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was pulled away during the commotion by an unidentified person and taken on a motorcycle ride into a jungle.

According to the police, the Feb 10 ceramah in Kubang Bok, Memali, which had no permit turned violent after they tried to disperse the crowd, resulting in PAS members allegedly torching an empty police truck.

In the booklet, Nik Aziz said a police officer had barged into the PAS operations centre where he was speaking and ordered the organisers to keep the gates open although they had been shut to control the crowd.

Nik Aziz said he had instructed the organisers to adhere to the polices instruction and ensure that the gates were open when the lights suddenly went off and police started firing tear gas into the crowd.

Past sleeping cows

After the lights went off, I was pulled away and taken on a motorcycle into a dark place, a place where cows were sleeping. Fortunately, we didnt run into any cows, he quipped in the booklet.

Nik Aziz said he was then brought to a school. It was late at night and he felt sleepy and tired.

I told myself that I was going to be sick the next day as I am allergic to dew and rain. Also, I havent ridden on a motorcycle for a long time since becoming menteri besar.

Thank God, I was well the next day.

However, the booklet did not explain how Nik Aziz escaped his predicament.

Since the Home Ministry imposed a nationwide ban on political ceramah , PAS has had to resort to explaining their policies through booklets that are distributed at regular community dinners or gatherings.

Right to teach

Nik Aziz also criticised the police for not keeping to their Mesra Rakyat (people-friendly) slogan, saying that it was the police who had started the melee.

What kind of mesra is this? I was giving a talk, they come in with a loud-hailer and tear gas, turning everything into a commotion, he said.

Nik Aziz maintained that he had the right to speak at ceramah as he was imparting knowledge to the people.

In Islam, he said, teaching is a necessity and should be carried out at least once a week.

We say khutbah in Arab, ceramah in Malay and lecture in English, but they are all the same thing, he added.

PAS women to contest

In the same booklet, Nik Aziz said PAS would stick to its recent decision to allow women to participate in the coming general elections.

PAS had been constantly attacked by womens groups for its discriminating polices on women, especially its reluctance to allow women to hold political positions.

After we announce the revoking of our earlier decision, all the (Barisan Nasional) ministers attacked PAS. They say we have changed our policies and strategies, so we do not have good intentions.

It is obvious that we have struck them where it hurts most. Wherever there is an Umno woman contesting [in the general elections], there we will place our woman candidate, he said.