I read with sadness the passing of another Malaysian icon. The last one was the late Karpal Singh. This is the passing of the spiritual adviser of PAS, one called Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat. The first one left us suddenly. Tok Guru Nik Aziz left us in an expected and yet sudden way, especially for family and close friends. I bid him farewell; and we believe that he may be in a better place; but only God can decide that.
Why do I call him ‘tok’ and not in any other way? First and foremost he was in fact a Treasury of Knowledge or ToK, and especially Islamic wisdom of the moderate middle Malaysian variety. Therefore, he served and died as spiritual adviser of PAS from 1991 to 2015; the time of his passing.
What do the scriptures say about people like him? Let me quote Psalm 1 which reads:
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
Or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
And whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, not sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
It is not mine to judge Tok Guru Nik Aziz but I want to extol his life of good virtues and service to mankind; especially as a simple and a grass root politician, much like the late Tan Chee Khoon. Such leadership puts a premium upon service to mankind, while always putting others before self-interest.
I simply dedicate these passages of Psalms as what both these two leaders remind me of; the older brand of traditional politics for the sake of others; never for self-interest or self-gratification.
Tree judged by its fruits
Matthew 7: 16-20 reads: Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.
After 20 years in the leadership of PAS, Tok Guru Nik Aziz has left an indelible mark within the party and without. The fruit of his efforts and roles are visible for those who want to see. While no one would say that he was a brilliant administrator, they would all clearly state that he was as clean as they will ever come.
While he was alive, he promised never to work with Umno. He said, “Umno rejects Islam.” He considered BN as an example of an unfaithful partner in a marriage; after PAS’s first and only sojourn with BN a long time ago.
I had some family who worked in Kelantan for about three years, and they tell me, if they were registered to vote in Kelantan, their vote would always go to Tok Guru Nik Aziz, every time. They were very impressed with the quality of his personal life.
Another classmate who met the person tells me that while he was with the man over one lunch hour, “He offered to share his ‘nasi bungkus’ with me but which I politely declined.” My friend had met him on some other occasions and says, “What struck me was that he was such a simple and sincere person in all his mannerisms.” That was the man!
No guile or duality between spoken and lived word
In any arena of life; humankind’s biggest challenge is for self-conduct which is consistent between the spoken and acted word. That defines our integrity between thought and action.
In my academic field of behavioural science we make the distinction between intentional responsible action and observable behaviour but without personal knowledge of the reasons for the particular action being undertaken, especially to the non-actors.
In the case of Tok Guru Nik Aziz, and as I have also heard about Dr Tan Chee Khoon, there was not too much difference between their talk and their walk. These are politicians with relative integrity but the kind and quality which we badly lack today.
Today’s politics of the public space seems to be majoring on misinformation and disinformation more than information and knowledge. Most speakers speak different storylines to differing audiences, and the different audiences are not smarter for it. Thanks again to poor quality of non-analytical reporting we are all no better for it.
There is rising angst in Malaysia for a third and quite different force for change, but which needs not be linked to either of the current political alliances. Both the late Nik Aziz and Tan Chee Khoon would qualify as politicians of the older order but who would appeal to this third force of change.
We may not or never could agree with some of their particular views about some specific matters, but that would not stop us from speaking and supporting their brand of politics; one with integrity of life.
It is well known that Tok Guru Nik Aziz argued and pushed for Syariah laws implementation in Kelantan. While I do not disagree with his desire for this because of his Muslim belief in the role of Syariah in their lives; my only question remains, does our federal constitution, as it is approved, cater and allow for criminal prosecution for personal and family law simply because the majority of Muslims desire this?
The way forward for all Malaysians in such matters is for discourse and dialogue to understand both; rule of law, as a cardinal principle in Malaysia, and to appreciate that if we open the floodgates to such opinions and views which are inconsistent with the federal constitution, we will end up even questioning the role of the royalty, which is already clearly recognised within the constitution.
I do not think the quality and brand of moderate politics of tomorrow can use mere force of institutions and control of laws as defined by the majority but with lack of regard to the principles and qualities already protected and preserved by the federal constitution.
May the Good Lord bless the soul of Tok Guru Nik Aziz and bless us with more politicians with integrity.
