IN MEMORIAM I first met the late PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat in 1995. A small-sized man, someone you would have not turned twice to look at.

The last I saw him was on Dec 18 last year, in heavy rain, just as the waters started rising in Kelantan, but his frailty at that time as he held on to his urinary bag made me shy to go to him.

I watched him from beside his house, clad in the darkness, despite me being brought there by the Kelantan Menteri Besar's Office.

Yet, as old and as sickly as he was then, his eyes had the same sparkle and sharpness. Six great exclusive interviews with the man and 20 years later, and that is one thing that I remember most - the sharp sparkle in his eyes as he looks straight into yours.

Many of the Muslim clerics I had interviewed would not look you in the eye because you are a woman, but Nik Aziz, when he talks to you, makes sure you are in the conversation eye to eye. And it was always a sharp look that he gave.

The day his mother died

In my first interview with Nik Aziz in 1995, as a young reporter, I had flown in from Kuala Lumpur for what would be the first time an English mainstream newspaper then interviewed the PAS spiritual leader.

He gave me a half-an-hour interview and answered all my questions before excusing himself for his mother's burial. I was so shocked, for I had not read any newspaper that day, having taken the first flight and without a mobile phone in those days, I did not know his mother had passed away.

Later, Nik Aziz’s press secretary told me he insisted on having the interview as he knew I had flown in just for that.

That is the kind of man he was. He was always thinking of others first.

Nik Aziz's 'lavishnes s'

My few other encounters with him were also just as pleasant. Every time, his humility, the fact that he still lived in that half-wooden kampung-like house struck me as what makes him. He never tore himself away from the people.

The only time I ever saw something 'lavish' when I interviewed him was that small foot massager that he put his feet on during my last interview with him, days before he stepped down as the Kelantan menteri besar.

When I asked him why people voted for the poor PAS government when they could get all the material development if they voted for the BN, he likened those who support the opposition as the Medina people who welcomed the Prophet Muhammad when he fled Mecca.

"The prophet then offered something which was never offered by the governments (of Medina) before him. He offered to open up their hearts – not open up the country. The governments before him had brought development, roads, money, (and) food; but those were all. The prophet's teachings promised that it is God who is all powerful – not the king, not the president.

 

"No one can create a blade of grass, a grain of paddy or make an ikan bilis (anchovy), and everyone has to answer to his doings after he dies. It is not only the kampung people who will die – even doctors will die – but who wants to die? No one wants to die!" said Nik Aziz, referring to retribution after death for those who have done wrongs.

 

He then went on to condemn greedy politicians.

"Malaysia is a country rich in natural resources and the development of Malaysia for the past six decades has been one of material development.  

 

"Umno is like the cat. It will pounce, take and then hide with its booty," said a laughing Nik Aziz then.

Nothing off the record

 

Many times, the interviews would become lectures but he never stopped me from asking any question. And he never stopped the interviews until I had exhausted all my questions.

He never said "let this be off record"; everything he said was for the record.

And even though sometimes the interview was not published because of what Nik Aziz said - in this instance when he explained on a report that he had prayed for the demise of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in 2012 -  he never said no when I asked for an interview again.

He is one who truly believes in the freedom of the press and despite him having been misquoted many times, or simply had words put into his mouth, this man never took a legal suit against anyone.

Nik Aziz only condemned journalists who 'terjun Kelantan ' (parachuted into Kelantan) and wrote bad things about the state. At that time, he was referring to a media that had written that Kelantan had a high percentage of prostitution, etc.

Nik Aziz is an era by himself and it will likely be a long time before Malaysia sees a Muslim cleric who is also a politician getting the full support and respect of all Malaysians, regardless of their religion.

Al-fatihah. May he be placed with the best of people.

ZAKIAH KOYA is a member of Team Malaysiakini.