PAS: We’ll teach Ibrahim Ali a lesson

Ibrahim Ali convinced Che Johan, who is his prodigy, to quit the race knowing that the latter would face the wrath of Umno

PASIR MAS: Kelantan PAS has vowed to end the political career of maverick politician Ibrahim Ali during the 13th general election.

Accusing Ibrahim of being a “backstabber”, state PAS deputy commissioner Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that this will be Ibrahim’s last outing.

Ibrahim had contested on a PAS ticket in the 2008 general election. But within three months he had started criticising the party.

Nik Amar said it became obvious to many that Ibrahim had just used PAS for his own personal agenda.

“This time PAS will teach him a lesson. We will reclaim back the seat,” Nik Amar said.

According to Nik Amar, Ibrahim cannot win on his own strength in Pasir Mas although he regarded the constituency as his personal stronghold.

Ibrahim is up against PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s son, Nik Abduh in a straight fight after Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Che Johan Che Pa failed to file his nomination papers on April 20.

‘Be lenient on Che Johan’

The battle for the Pasir Mas seat is expected to be a battle royale.

Similar fights will take place for the Kota Baru parliamentary seats between BN’s Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh who is one of Najib Tun Razak’s political secretary and Takiyuddin Hassan who is PAS deputy secretary general.

While, Che Johan faces Umno’s disciplinary czars for his unsung action, Ibrahim has called on his former party to be lenient on him.

Ibrahim claimed that Che Johan had resorted to such a tactic to ensure that the seat did not easily go to PAS.

In Kelantan, where PAS has an edge compared to BN because it has been in power for 22-years, every seat and vote counts.

Nik Abduh’s setback in Pasir Mas is that he is not a local candidate.

When introducing Nik Abduh to the constituents earlier, Pasir Mas area head Hanipa Ahmad said the 13th general election is a “payback time” for PAS.

Hanipa said in the last election Ibrahim’s victory was due to the efforts of the PAS grassroots.

“But now he has become a turncoat and probably associated with BN,” he said.

‘I’m not a racist’

Ibrahim, meanwhile denied that he was a racist.

“I’m not a racist. I feel I must speak out for the plight of the Malays,” he said adding that he had hundreds of Chinese friends and associates, who understood why he had founded the Malay Rights Movement (Perkasa).

Ibrahim said he had a fair chance of retaining Pasir Mas, as the electorate here knew his contributions to them.

It’s learnt that the last minute tactic by Che Johan, a budding businessman, was done to entrap PAS.

PAS had earlier wanted to field Nik Abduh in the Rantau Panjang parliament seat.

But when PAS heard that Umno was fielding Che Johan with the possibility of a three-cornered fight with Ibrahim, they moved Nik Abduh over to Pasir Mas.

There were presumptions within the PAS inner circle that Nik Abduh could easily win if a three-cornered fight occurred.

This was when Ibrahim convinced Che Johan, who is one of his proteges, to pullout even though he would be faced with Umno’s wrath.

Ibrahim reckons he has a better chance of winning compared to Che Johan, who is young, and has a bright future ahead if he is committed to his political cause.

The next few days will see if Ibrahim is proven right.