Nik Aziz’s eldest son among Pakatan Harapan’s candidates

PETALING JAYA: The eldest son of late PAS spiritual leader Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat is among those listed in Pakatan Harapan’s 15th General Election candidate line-up.

Nik Omar Nik Aziz (pic), who is the brother of PAS supreme council member Nik Abduh, will be fielded in Perak, said PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a press conference here yesterday.

Nik Omar, who was also at the event, was asked by the press whether he was with PKR or Amanah.

He replied: “I’m with Pakatan.”

Pakatan comprises DAP, PKR, Amanah and Upko.

PAS is with Perikatan Nasional, which comprises Bersatu, Gerakan, SAPP and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR).

Nik Omar previously contested and lost in the 2018 general election as the Pakatan candidate for the Chempaka state seat.

The 57-year-old was later sacked by PAS in 2018 for contesting under the Pakatan banner.

Anwar also announced six other Pakatan candidates, comprising former civil servants, activists and academicians.

Among them is spina bifida patient rights advocate Dr Noraishah Mydin Abdul Aziz, who is a senior lecturer at the Parasitology Department at Universiti Malaya’s medical faculty.

She said she would fight for the rights of disabled Malaysians.

“Today is the day where people with disabilities in Malaysia get a fair chance. I will not back down,” said Dr Noraishah, who will be contesting a seat in the Federal Territories.

Other candidates are former senior civil servant Datuk Zainal Azman Abdul Seman, who will be contesting a seat in Perak; former Ikram Malaysia deputy president Datuk Hassan Basri Awang Mat Dahan, who will contest a seat in Pahang; and former Lembaga Zakat Selangor chief executive officer Saipolyazan Yusop, who will contest a Selangor seat.

Others are former Malaysian Youth Council president Jufitri Joha, who will go to Negri Sembilan, and 28-year-old Fathin Amelina Fazlie, a PhD student at Universiti Malaya who will be contesting a seat in Perlis.

When asked about the specific seats the candidates will be contesting, Anwar said the details will be announced tomorrow.

During the press conference, an unknown individual interrupted Anwar and the others at the event.

The man appeared to be disagreeing with PKR’s choice of candidates.

“This has been done before. All these former government servants should be doing research. Not politics,” said the man, who left shortly after that.

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, who was also present, responded to the man, saying that it is crucial for the party to field new faces.

“We also have to take into consideration that some issues in society can no longer be taken as token discourse.

“For example, the issues of disability. I cannot remember any major political party that has actually fielded a disabled person,” said Rafizi.

Meanwhile, Anwar said PKR has always been the people’s movement and leaders should not be the only ones determining the party’s direction.

“You must allow space for the rest to participate.

“What matters is the future of this nation. We want to change the political landscape of this country,” he said.