Nik Aziz accepts Kit Siang as DPM: We don't look at race

PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz

KOTA BAHARU - PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat will accept the appointment of Lim Kit Siang as the Deputy Prime Minister if the opposition pact leads the country through the 13th general election.

Nik Abdul Aziz, who is also the Kelantan Menteri Besar, however, said the appointment of the DAP advisor should not contradict the conditions stipulated in the national policy and Islamic policy.

"For us, we consider the country as a democratic nation. So, we cannot look at a particular race.

"What is important is that we have to look at the policy (of the party that rules the country)," he told reporters after chairing the State Exco meeting, on Wednesday.

He said this when commenting on the statement by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who proposed that Lim be appointed as Deputy Prime Minister if the opposition pact were to win and this issue was being hotly debated.

Nik Abdul Aziz said that he was of the opinion that the opposition pact had the edge as it had PAS, an Islamic party that was responsible for reprimanding any party within the pact pertaining to matters on Islam.

Thus, the issue of any dispute if the opposition pact appointed a non-Muslim as the Deputy Prime Minister did not arise.

"To me, the MCA and the DAP are just the same because both parties do not have Islamic elements. But the DAP in the opposition pact has an edge because PAS can reprimand.

Asked on the statement by the PAS deputy spiritual leader Harun Din who did not agree to the appointment, Nik Aziz said: "It was merely a personal opinion because the matter has yet to be discussed at the meeting of the opposition pact."

-- BERNAMA