BACHOK MP Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz has chosen not to defend his seat of his own free will, according to PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

With Nik Abduh’s withdrawal, Tuan Ibrahim refuted claims the Islamist party was trying to end the legacy of its late spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, with none of his children named in the party’s candidate list.

“He withdrew from contesting to give way to younger candidates. He will campaign with us. There is no issue,” Tuan Ibrahim said of the 52-year-old.

“The candidate replacing him, Mohd Syahrir Che Sulaiman, is a close friend of his, is a local, and is the political secretary to the party president.

“We need youths and women like in Tumpat… for the sake of supporting party policy, we have proven it,” Tuan Ibrahim was quoted as saying by Astro Awani in a report today.

Nik Abduh retained the Bachok seat with a reduced 3,292-vote majority in the last general election, after polling 36,188 votes.

He beat BN Awang Adik who polled 32,896 votes and PH’s Zulkifili Zakaria who received 4,880 votes.

Last night, Kelantan Perikatan Nasional (PN) announced six new faces in its line-up of candidates for the general election.

Kelantan PN chairman Ahmad Yakob said four of the new faces were from Bersatu: Khlir Mohd Nor (Ketereh), Wan Ahmad Fasyhal Wan Kamal (Machang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli) and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang).

The new PAS faces are: who are Mumtaz Md Nawi (Tumpat) and Syahir (Bachok).

“We are also retaining seven incumbents from PAS including Takiyuddin Hassan (Kota Bharu), Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Kubang Kerian) and Ahmad Fadhli Shaary (Pasir Mas),” he said. – November 3, 2022.