Nik Abduh compares Rembia rep to Hang Jebat

• UPDATED 2.28PM | Added Mohd Puad Zarkashi’s comment.

PAS leader Nik Abduh Nik Aziz has likened Rembia assemblyperson Muhammad Jailani Khamis to Hang Jebat for leaving Umno and joining the Islamist party.

Nik Abduh (above) said he had never seen an Umno representative join PAS and described it as a historical moment in Malaysian politics.

“In my more than 50 years (of life), I don’t think there has ever been an Umno representative who joined PAS.

“Jailani is truly a ‘Hang Jebat’. It is also a historical event in our country’s politics,” he said during a ceramah in the Serian voting district in Gua Musang.

Also present was Jailani, who is now the sole PAS assemblyperson in Malacca.

On July 16, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan announced Jailani’s entry into the party.

According to Takiyuddin, Jailani’s membership in PAS will not affect his position as an assemblyperson as the Malacca legislature had not yet enforced the state’s anti-party-hopping law when the rep joined the Islamist party.

Bad call to rationalise diesel subsidy

Nik Abduh criticised the government’s decision to rationalise diesel subsidy, ostensibly to curb smuggling activities.

He said transportation costs for hauling commodities such as palm oil have skyrocketed as a result.

“Is that a wise decision? The government wants to punish those who smuggle diesel at the Thai border but in the end, they sell (diesel) at a higher price.

“If they want to fight smugglers, they should guard the border and secondly, find out who the smuggling kingpins are and arrest them,” he added.

A ‘traitor’ indeed

Meanwhile, Umno supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi sarcastically agreed with Nik Abduh’s comparison of Jailani with Hang Jebat.

In doing so, Puad reminded Nik Abduh that in Malay history, the Hang Jebat character referred to a warrior who betrays the Malacca sultan.

“Jailani is indeed a traitor. Don’t be surprised if he betrays PAS next, especially if the party does not help him out with legal costs.

“He was fined RM100 million by Umno for being ‘Jebat’,” Puad, who is also Johor state legislative assembly speaker, said on Facebook.

According to him, another person deserving of the Hang Jebat moniker is Perikatan Nasional’s candidate for the Nenggiri by-election Mohd Rizwadi Ismail.

“This is because he quit PAS to become a Bersatu candidate. In addition, he betrayed the anti-hopping law,” said Puad.

Hang Jebat is known for his rebellion against the Malacca sultan in Hikayat Hang Tuah.

Jailani won the Rembia seat under the PKR banner and left the party in 2020 to support the Perikatan Nasional-BN government in Malacca.

He then returned to Umno in 2021, a party he left in 2016, and was appointed as Umno Alor Gajah division information chief.

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