Opposition’s Star Dims after Death of Nik Aziz

TODAY

14 February 2015

Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman

SINGAPORE — Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the spiritual leader of the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), who died from prostate cancer at his home on Thursday night, is perhaps among the most important religio-political figures in Malaysia since the 1970s.

He played a pivotal role in the transformation of the PAS to its current ideological form, changing an organisation once described as a village party to the second-largest one in the country, appealing not only to Muslims, but also to many non-Muslims.

While he was known for his conservative Islamic stance, he was practical enough to understand that the PAS had to work in a coalition of multi-ethnic parties to form a government. He was also a strong champion of its decision to join the three-party opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat.

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Last updated on 01/12/2015