Putrajaya

Amid drizzle, thousands welcome Nik Aziz to Putrajaya

By Zurairi AR
April 27, 2013

A section of the huge crowd which turned out for the rally where Nik Aziz spoke last night. — Picture by Saw Siow FengPUTRAJAYA, April 27 — In an otherwise quiet Putrajaya, thousands of supporters braved a drizzle last night to catch a glimpse of PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat who came to support PAS candidate Datuk Husam Musa’s bid to represent the country’s administrative capital.
The mainly civil service electorate, their families and others from neighbouring areas filled an entire block of car park space behind the Palace of Justice here, a crowd more commonly seen during carnivals and events held by the government.
The rock concert-size crowd was a lot more than the excited supporters who had swarmed around Nik Aziz after he joined them in Friday prayers earlier in the day at the nearby Tuanku Mizan Mosque, photos and videos of which were spread on social networks to indicate Putrajaya folk’s support for PAS and him.
Nik Aziz was greeted with an astounding cheer when he went up the stage, but he delivered his speech sitting down. He had been in Putrajaya and around Kuala Lumpur since yesterday morning, which left him visibly tired.
Nik Aziz speaking at the rally last night. On the right is Husam.“God-willing Malaysians, especially people here, can rethink that there is no better way to live than Islam,” he said, as he ended a sermon which was similar to the one he delivered in Lembah Pantai yesterday afternoon.
His rare appearance in Lembah Pantai was part of PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar’s plan to win her uphill battle to keep the federal seat from Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Senator Raja Datuk Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.
In return, Nurul Izzah made an appearance at Husam’s rally last night, with the crowd chanting “Reformasi” as she took to the stage.
“I hope Ku Nan will lose sleep tonight. Not just tonight, but also the nights to come after this,” Nurul Izzah said, referring to BN’s incumbent Putrajaya MP Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
Husam also took to the stage in what was the biggest crowd to hear him speak for one of the biggest battles in Election 2013.
“If I win, I will be an umbrella for all our country’s civil servants. You are all my comrades, and I am yours,” said Husam beneath the bright lights of ministry buildings here as he tried to allay the fears of working under a potential Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.
The PAS vice-president had earlier asked Malaysians to pressure caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to declare May 6, the day after polling day, as a public holiday so voters can cast their votes comfortably and with no rush.
Held on the eve of one week since Nomination Day, the turnout would probably cause concern for Tengku Adnan who probably was not expecting a fierce battle in one of BN’s stronghold.
The BN man is recruiting former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to garner support during his stumping, with a rally here already planned for tonight.
The prime minister who dreamed up Putrajaya was once rumoured to be BN’s candidate for the federal administrative capital, which Husam had claimed as a proof that the coalition was concerned with his unprecedented popularity here.
People listen attentively at last night’s rally. In the background is a banner with the symbols of the three Pakatan Rakyat component parties — PAS, the DAP and PKR