Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat's presence at the Pakatan Rakyat convention in Kedah today attracted eyeballs in light of talk over the PAS spiritual leader's health.

Despite the speculations, Nik Aziz appeared energetic and nimble-footed as he stood alongside Pakatan leaders on stage during an oath-taking ceremony.

pakatan convention alor setar nik aziz nik mat and azmin ali Kota Baru MP Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah, when inviting the "living legend" to speak, recalled a tense moment when Nik Aziz ( left in photo ) was admitted into hospital on one occasion.

He said the 81-year-old PAS veteran had related how his heart had stopped beating for a moment.

"Perhaps it was like how the first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, had described his experience (in space)... How he was pulled down and then his heart started beating again.

"I would say Allah has passed down something big for Nik Aziz to do for the rakyat.

"He has to be with us to bring us to Putrajaya," said Wan Abdul Rahim, leading the audience to chant, " Takbir !"

Once bitten by Umno...

Taking the podium, Nik Aziz spoke at length about PAS' past experience when it had been "kicked out" by Umno from the BN coalition.

Learning from that experience, Nik Aziz said he has "had enough" of Umno.

"When Umno experienced bright days, it had kicked PAS out. Then now it wants PAS to join Umno again. We say, cis ! (bah!).

NONE "If we are fooled a second time then shame on us... I reflect and say, thankfully we are not with Umno," he said.

Nik Aziz recounted PAS' successes in Kelantan, where people of various faiths lived in harmonious co-existence.

Even a non-Muslim, he said, had donated RM20,000 to a local mosque.

He also related how the state government had given RM2,000 in financial aid to a widow, who instead decided to donate the money to another mosque.

Among the other Pakatan leaders who spoke in the convention's wrap-up were PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.