COMMENT In the coming PAS muktamar, one prominent person, Nik Abduh Nik Aziz, has apparently been sidelined.

Sources close to PAS say that the son of the late Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat has been sidelined by Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who is aligned to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

“It is obvious that Nik Abduh is no longer influential, compared to the time when his father was MB of Kelantan,” said a PAS delegate, who chose not to be named.

In the race, Nik Abduh did not even make it to any of the coveted vice-president posts, while Mohd Amar ( photo ) has been nominated for the vice-president post as well as challenging incumbent Mohamad Sabu (or Mat Sabu) for deputy president, a post which Mat Sabu, from the Erdogan faction, has held since 2011.

MB’s post

It is generally believed that, besides going for the deputy president post, Mohd Amar is also trying to replace Ahmad Yaakob, who is the current Menteri Besar of Kelantan since the demise of Nik Aziz.

And Nik Abduh would be his biggest challenger for the position, if Nik Abduh were allowed to shine. Both Nik Abduh and Mohd Amar are known to be at odds with each other.

When asked, the PAS insider said it is unlikely that Ahmad would be replaced immediately after the muktamar, despite Ahmad no longer holding any party positions.

Ahmad ( photo ) was offered the post of PAS treasurer, a post which he had earlier declined. He is also known to be anything but decisive, especially in party matters.

However, Mohd Amar does not have the grassroots support compared to Mat Sabu, who is likely to fill the post of deputy president for another term, especially since the number of Erdogans vying for the vice-president’s posts has overwhelmed the ulama group.

At this juncture, it appears that even Hadi’s position is not secure, especially after he had declared his support for the embattled Umno president, Najib Abdul Razak, a statement with a lot of political implications.

Switching camp?

Having been sidelined, there are rumours that Nik Abduh may have struck some deals with the Erdogans within the party in order to leverage on the popularity of Hadi’s challenger, Ahmad Awang, but how this would turn out is anyone’s guess.

In the next two weeks, as things unfold, it will become clearer whether the rumours have any basis. Will Nik Abduh give his support to the Erdogans or would he continue to be hung out to dry by the ulama group that has left him in a limbo.

“A young ulama who is on the Erdogan side would shine more,” the insider offered his observation. “We do not know what Nik Abduh’s next move will be, as he has been keeping very quiet lately. He is no longer the high-flyer in the federal capital, and most of his time is spent in Kelantan.”

The only hurdle at the moment is that Nik Abduh himself is not very popular even within PAS in his own state. “But, his late father was Nik Aziz, which can make a lot of difference,” he said.

The coming June muktamar in Kuala Selangor will see one of the fiercest battle for the top two positions, where both the incumbents will face challengers for their posts.

If the Erdogan faction wins, it may mean the ongoing cooperation with Pakatan Rakyat, but if the ulama faction sweeps clean the position, PAS may be dropped by the opposition.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.