- Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat
-
This is a Malay name; the name Nik Mat is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Nik Abdul Aziz.
Yang Amat Berhormat Tuan Guru Dato' Bentara Setia Haji
Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat
Menteri Besar of Kelantan Incumbent Assumed office
22 October 1990Monarch Sultan Muhammad V Deputy Ahmad Yaakob Preceded by Mohamed Yaacob Member of the Kelantan State Assembly
for ChempakaIncumbent Assumed office
1995Majority 4249 Spiritual Leader of PAS Incumbent Assumed office
1991Preceded by Yusof Rawa Personal details Born 1931
Pulau Melaka, KelantanPolitical party Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) Spouse(s) Tuan Sabariah Tuan Ishak Religion Sunni Islam Dato' Bentara Setia Haji Nik Abdul Aziz bin Nik Mat (born 1931 in Pulau Melaka, Kelantan) is a Malaysian politician, a Muslim ulama and currently the Menteri Besar of the state of Kelantan. He is the Mursyidul Am or spiritual leader of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS).
Contents
Early life
Nik Abdul Aziz was born in 1931 to a single father(Tok Kura) who was an aspiring blacksmith in his hometown of Pulau Melaka, being the second eldest of five siblings.[1] His Islamic studies began in pondok schools in Kelantan and Terengganu.[2] He went on to Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, India for five years. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Studies and Master of Arts in Islamic jurisprudence from Al-Azhar University, Egypt. During his university studies, he was one of the witnesses and a civilian to have lived in the heat of Arab-Israeli Conflict.[3]
Having returned from Egypt, Nik Aziz began as a teacher at various religious schools in Kelantan, hence his popular nickname "Tok Guru."[2] He is able to converse in Arabic, English, Tamil and Urdu in addition to his native Malay language.[2]
Political career
Nik Aziz joined PAS in 1967. He contested and won the Kelantan Hilir parliamentary seat by-election in that same year, and held the seat (later renamed Pengkalan Chepa) until 1986.[2] In 1982, he was part of a movement by young members to bring change to the party leadership. PAS had lost the Kelantan state elections in 1978 and, as PAS state commissioner, Nik Aziz began to question president Asri Muda's leadership. Finally, in the PAS Muktamar (General Assembly) that year, Asri was forced to resign.[3]
After stepping aside from federal politics, Nik Aziz won a seat in the Kelantan State Assembly in the 1986 general elections. In 1990, PAS managed to wrest control of Kelantan back from Barisan Nasional. In his capacity as party leader in the state, Nik Aziz became Menteri Besar of Kelantan.[2] He succeeded Yusof Rawa as spiritual leader of PAS in 1991.
His administration in Kelantan frequently clashed on the role of Islam in Malaysia with the former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir. In contrast with the racially-exclusive ruling party UMNO, he openly rejects communal politics.[4]
Nik Aziz has been known to command support from non-Muslims in Malaysia and has played a leading role during PAS' increase in popularity among non-Muslims.[5][6][7]
Controversy
Hardline views
Nik Aziz has drawn occasional criticism for his hardline Islamic views. His advocacy of Islamic shariah law to all Malay Muslims drew criticism, as did his suggestion that women would be at a lower risk of being raped if they abandoned their lipstick and perfume, and for a 15-year ban on the game of snooker.[8][9]
Son
His son Nik Adli was held under the Malaysian Internal Security Act in 2001 for alleged terrorist activities including planning jihad, possession of weapons, and membership in the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM), an Islamist extremist group.[10][11][12][13] After 5 years in detention without trial, he was released.[14]
References
- ^ Zulkifli Sulong (July 3, 2010). "Meet Nik Aziz's brother, the teacher with a dream". Harakah Daily. http://harakahdaily.net/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=874:meet-nik-azizs-brother-the-teacher-with-a-dream&catid=34:primary&Itemid=56. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Menteri Besar Kelantan, Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS), http://www.pas.org.my/v2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=351
- ^ a b Abdul Razak Ahmad (8 May 2007). "76 and frail, yet he's still the one they want". New Straits Times (New Straits Times Press).
- ^ "Nik Aziz says ‘no way’ to PAS-Umno unity talks". The Malaysian Insider. June 9, 2010. http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/nik-aziz-says-no-way-to-pas-umno-unity-talks/.
- ^ Wong, Chin Huat (August 27, 2009). "Can PAS manage victory?". The Nut Graph. http://www.thenutgraph.com/can-pas-manage-victory/.
- ^ "PAS succession plan not an issue, says Nik Aziz". The Malaysian Insider. June 10, 2010. http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pas-succession-plan-not-an-issue-says-nik-aziz/.
- ^ "Pas fishing for non-Malay votes". New Straits Times. June 8, 2010. http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/16zubb/Article/.
- ^ "Cleric: Women's Sexy Clothing Distracting Muslim Men From Sleep, Prayers". Fox News. October 31, 2007. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306658,00.html.
- ^ Lewis, Leo (November 2, 2007). "Female fashions cause sleepless nights". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22687151-29677,00.html.
- ^ Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) GlobalSecurity.org
- ^ Wong, Chun Wai; Charles, Lourdes (January 2, 2003). "Nik Aziz’s son named in report". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/list.asp?file=/2003/1/2/nation/hnik&sec=nation.
- ^ Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia Novelguide.com
- ^ Background Information on Other Terrorist Groups US Department of State
- ^ MacIntyre, Ian; Zulklifli, C.A. (October 19, 2006). "Nik Aziz’s son freed with 10 others". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/10/19/nation/15771918&sec=nation.
External links
Political offices Preceded by
Mohamed YaacobMenteri Besar of Kelantan
1990 – nowSucceeded by
IncumbentMenteris Besar and Chief Ministers of the states of Malaysia Menteris Besar Johor: Abdul Ghani Othman • Kedah: Azizan Abdul Razak • Kelantan: Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat • Negeri Sembilan: Mohamad Hassan • Pahang: Adnan Yaakob •
Perak: Zambry Abdul Kadir • Perlis: Md Isa Sabu • Selangor: Abdul Khalid Ibrahim • Terengganu: Ahmad Said
Chief Ministers Categories:- 1931 births
- Living people
- Al-Azhar University alumni
- Chief ministers of Malaysian states
- Malaysian Malay people
- Malaysian politicians
- People from Kota Bharu
- Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party politicians
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