In Pasir Mas, BN’s Che Johan hailed a hero for ‘sacrifice’

Ibrahim speaking at the gathering to welcome BN’s Che Johan yesterday. The Perkasa chief is involved in a straight fight in Pasir Mas when the BN man failed to file his nomination papers on Saturday. — Pictures by Zurairi ARPASIR MAS, April 25 — Che Johan Che Pa, the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate who failed to file his nomination forms for the Pasir Mas seat in Election 2013, was feted as a hero by his Umno colleagues when he returned from a party disciplinary hearing yesterday.

Among those who celebrated his return was Malay rights group Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who now faces PAS’s Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz in a straight fight.

“He was willing to sacrifice himself to give a chance to a Malay fighter ... He should be given a big applause,” Pasir Mas Umno division chief Datuk Hanafi Mamat told a gathering here as part of the party’s campaign for the May 5 elections.

The crowd, a mix of Umno and Ibrahim’s supporters, gave Che Johan a huge cheer when it was his turn to speak in the Kelantan state seat.

“I said this was not the case of me being bought, being coaxed, not a case of directive from any parties. This is a case of sacrifice and struggle,” Che Johan told the crowd, as he described the explanation he gave the Umno disciplinary board in Kuala Lumpur.

He refused to disclose his punishment for his action, save that Umno would reveal it in a few days. The party had already sacked 61 other members for running as independents in this general election.

Che Johan said he did what he did as a ‘sacrifice and struggle’.Sources in the party said Che Johan might face a suspension instead of expulsion since he did not run as an independent unlike Wanita Umno deputy chief Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim and former deputy minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shariff Omar.

Last night’s welcoming ceremony in Pasir Mas was held to formalise the start of an alliance between Umno’s forces and Ibrahim’s independent machinery with some 600 members present.

The stout Ibrahim took to the rostrum to the loudest cheers as his campaign workers distributed badges bearing his face and hibiscus logo, saying “Mesti menang demi rakyat” (Must win for the sake of the people).

He mocked PAS’s decision to field outsider Nik Abduh in Pasir Mas, calling the son of PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat “a car imported from Pulau Melaka” and himself a “local car”.

“He is like a new car with a broken engine. Tok Him might look obsolete, but his engine is number one,” the Perkasa chief said, referring to himself using his nickname.

“I am here not to fight Nik Abduh, but I am here to bring the hope and dreams of the people who wish Kelantan to be renowned.”

Calling himself an apprentice of Perkasa patron and former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Ibrahim pledged an upgrade to the area’s infrastructure that he claimed was neglected under PAS rule.

He spoke about kickstarting the local tourism industry in Pasir Mas by pitching a Madame Tussauds-like museum for the town. Madame Tussauds is one of the major tourist attractions in London, displaying lifelike wax statues of famous celebrities and figures.

Earlier in his speech, Ibrahim apologised to those in Umno whom he might have offended in his run as an independent MP.

He also stressed to the crowd, who included a number of well-dressed Chinese men, that his image as an ultra-Malay extremist and racist had been a result of Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) smear campaign.

His Pasir Mas campaign is expected to go up a notch this Sunday with Dr Mahathir expected to turn up for a rally supporting Ibrahim to be held at Che Johan’s house.

It was previously speculated that Ibrahim might be picked by BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak to defend his Pasir Mas seat as a BN direct candidate.

Dr Mahathir had also stepped into the fray by urging the BN leadership to choose Ibrahim, even saying he would campaign for the former PAS member.

However, Ibrahim failed to make it into BN’s candidates list but Kelantan BN said on Sunday that it was open to helping the controversial Perkasa chief in his fight against its rival Islamist party PAS.