Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) has played down DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang's endorsement of its vice-president Husam Musa as the next Kelantan menteri besar.

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub said that the endorsement was merely Lim's personal opinion.

"Who will be the next menteri besar? That is for the winning party to announce. Whoever that wants propose names now has a right to do so.

"We are not bound by it," Salahuddin told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Asked to confirm if Husam was a possible menteri besar candidate, Salahuddin replied that there were "many who are qualified".

During a visit to Kelantan last week, Lim had said that he hoped Husam will become the next menteri besar come Aidilfitri next year.

Husam, who is the Salor state assemblyperson, was a long-time member of the Kelantan executive before he was sacked from PAS in May last year.

He later joined Amanah and has been tasked to lead Harapan's charge in Kelantan.

Husam's critics in PAS have pounced on Lim's endorsement and accused the former and Amanah of being DAP stooges.

PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan, for example, said DAP wanted to rule Kelantan by proxy.

In a statement yesterday, Nasrudin said the incumbent Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob had been chosen by the late former PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat, while Husam was endorsed by Lim.

"So the people of Kelantan can choose between the menteri besar blessed by Tok Guru (Nik Aziz) and the one who is chosen by Lim," he said.

Husam was once a protege of Nik Aziz, but was sidelined by the leadership after the latter's passing.

Salahuddin rubbished claims that Amanah was a DAP stooge, saying there was no point in setting up the party if it was.