MALAYSIAN NEWS : GENERAL
September 29 , 1999 16:59PM
STOP POLITICISING MUFTI ISSUE - NIK AZIZ
 
KOTA BAHARU, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat today urged the state Umno to stop politicising its proposal that he be made the state mufti as the action may offend certain people.

He said Kelantan Umno's move to continue harping on the issue challenged the intergrity of the State Public Services Commission, which is responsible for appointing the state mufti, and had also embarrassed the present mufti.

"The offer (of the mufti post) challenges the intergrity of the commission which appoints him (mufti). I don't understand how it has been turned into political capital," he told reporters after chairing the State Executive Council weekly meeting.

Kelantan Umno chief Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had said more than once that Nik Aziz could be made the state mufti if he was willing to leave PAS and if Umno received the mandate to rule the state.

According to Nik Aziz, such statements displayed a lack of intergrity. 

"For instance if I wish to appoint a penghulu, can I announce to the public that I want to appoint a penghulu. Of course that's wrong (because) we have procedures," he said

He said Umno did not have any good reasons to replace the present state mufti "as he is still healthy and his appointment is valid".

"If I happened to be the present mufti, I will certainly be hurt," he added. -- BERNAMA


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