PN's Ketereh candidate has not got his authorisation letter to contest

One of five Bersatu candidates recently named to contest under Perikatan Nasional in Kelantan said today he has resigned to fate after attempts to get his 'watikah' (letter of authorisation) have been unsuccessful.

With less than 24 hours to go until the deadline for tomorrow’s nomination day for the 15th general election, Khlir Mohd Nor said there was nothing much that he could do now.

The former military officer said he had already informed Bersatu leaders in Kelantan about his problem and they have referred the matter to the party's top leadership.

According to Khlir (above), he was informed that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has been notified about his candidacy, but without the letter of authorisation, it would render him unable to register as the PN candidate for the Ketereh parliamentary seat.

"I cannot do anything... The watikah should have been given on the day when all candidates were announced. I believe this is an attempt to humiliate me," he told Malaysiakini.

Kelantan PN revealed its list of candidates on Nov 2. But unlike in other states, where candidates would be using the coalition's logo to contest, those contesting in Kelantan and Terengganu would go into the election using the PAS logo.

Thus, for this to happen, the authorisation letter has to come from Hadi, the top PAS leader.

Besides Khlir, who was named as the candidate for Ketereh, four other Bersatu candidates who are contesting parliamentary seats in Kelantan are Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang) and Ikhmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (Tanah Merah).

For the election in Ketereh, challengers would not face its incumbent MP Annuar Musa, who has been dropped by BN. The ruling coalition had instead named Kelantan Puteri Umno chief Marzuani Ardila Ariffin to replace the Umno veteran.

'It's not that I do not want it'

Meanwhile, Annuar had recently hinted that his absence from BN's list means that he would only be an observer of the Ketereh race.

Annuar had also hinted that he might make a surprise, come the nomination day tomorrow.

Khlir, when asked if he had heard anything about Annuar taking his place for the Ketereh contest, said someone had informed him something similar to this.

"From what I understood, this might be the case. Maybe Haji Hadi wants to give (the seat) to him (Annuar). I don't know... Maybe.

"But it is okay. I can't do anything. Maybe Allah has determined this, so I will just accept my fate," he said.

Khlir said that should he end up not being picked by PN to contest in Ketereh, he would back off and has no plan to take any further action.

"I did not get the watikah. It is not that I do not want to be a candidate. I am worried about the people accusing me of having been bribed (to withdraw from the contest)... then, it would be a problem for me.

"I just want to stress here that I did not receive any bribe whatsoever. I don't want people to think that I took a bribe," Khlir added.

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