PETALING JAYA: Kelantan Umno has described Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat's statement that the State was prepared to amend its Constitution to allow non-Malay Muslims to become Menteri Besar as a "political gimmick and diversion".

"Knowing Nik Aziz, it is normal for him to come up with something unusual to grab attention. In this case, it  may also be to divert attention," deputy State Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Dr Awang Adek Hussain told The Malay Mail.

Awang Adek claimed that PAS needed a diversion as the party was going through an internal squabble.

"Kelantan Pas is facing an internal crisis and to divert attention, he has to use something to take the people's mind off the internal problems," he said.

"From what I understand, things are not going too well with Pas in Kelantan and Nik Aziz, as its chief, needs to divert the public's attention on the matter.

"That's why we are not taking any of his statements seriously as it is a waste of our time and energy," he said.

Kelantan's Nilam Puri Umno division chief, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, said he hoped Nik Aziz did not make such a statement as a political gimmick or polemic.

"It is Nik Aziz's right to amend the State Constitution as he and his party wish, but it should not be made just to divert the people's attention from the present State Pas' internal problems," he told The Malay Mail this morning.

"Whatever it is, as far as Umno is concerned, we follow the Federal Constitution which stipulates that a Malay must be the State or Federal leader, professes Islam as his religion, must speak Malay and practice the Malay culture.

"We defend this criteria. A muallaf (convert) is considered a Malay and thus can be chosen". Annuar said Umno would defend "whatever is already enshrined" in the Federal and State constitutions.

"Hence, religion is just a criterion, as for us there are more attributes to complete the full criteria of a leader, namely the Menteri Besar or the Prime Minister," the former Kelantan Umno liaison chief said.

Mustapa Ali gives his support to Tok Guru

SHAH ALAM: Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat (left) has an ally in PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustapa Ali, who feels the amendment to the Kelantan Constitution to appoint non-Malay Muslims as Menteri Besar should not be confined to the East Coast State alone.

"As far as I am concerned, in Islam, a leader must be a good Muslim regardless of race," he said.

"Nik Aziz's suggestion should include amendments to the Federal Constitution also, not just in Kelantan."

Nik Aziz had told reporters after launching the Young Ulama Ijtimak in Kota Baru on Monday that he was prepared to propose several Muslim non-Malays whom he deemed were capable of replacing him as Menteri Besar.

He had said these people were qualified as long as they possessed noble character and practised the teachings of Islam.

"Islam will only be respected when we hold onto the principle of true Islamic teachings that are not based on race.

"The move to allow a non-Malay Muslim to become Menteri Besar will bring more respect to Islam and more people will accept Islam as their way of life," Nik Aziz had said.

Pas vice-president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Mat was quoted as saying on Tuesday that Nik Aziz's statement did not mean that the State Constitution would be amended.

Tuan Ibrahim, who is also Pas disciplinary committee chairman, said the menteri besar's statement was more about describing the correct way of administration according to the teachings of Islam and was not meant to change the Constitution.

He defended Nik Aziz by saying that the latter only wanted to reflect the fairness in Islam, where leaders are chosen based on their competency and not race.

"It does not mean we will make a change to the constitution. We have no plan (to change)," said Tuan Ibrahim.

He added that Pas had never discussed the matter and may consider doing should the need arise.

"In other words, if the Malays have no qualification, maybe someone of another race is qualified (to become menteri besar). A corrupt Malay is not fit to be a leader."

Tuan Ibrahim cited Datuk Annuar Tan Abdullah, a Chinese Muslim convert who was appointed as Kelantan executive council member for his qualification, as an example of a competent non-Malay Muslim leader.