PAS names Ahmad Fathan Mahmood as its candidate for Chempaka by-election

PAS Sunday announced its Pengkalan Chepa Ulama Affairs Management secretary Ahmad Fathan Mahmood @ Mahamad as its candidate for the Chempaka state seat by-election on March 22.

The announcement was made by PAS vice-president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man before 500 party supporters at the Kelantan Islamic Tarbiah Centre (Putik), here.

Ahmad Fathan, 42, who is also deputy head and a lecturer at the Muslim Welfare Organisation of Malaysia's (Perkim) Institut Dakwah Islamiah has a master's degree in Syariah from Universiti Malaya.

The Kampung Baung, Pengkalan Chepa-born had studied in Damascus, Syria in Talaqqi Kitab and Mustami' from 1997 to 1999 and at Al-Azhar University, Egypt (Bachelor's degree in Syariah) from 1993 to 1997.

Also present at the announcement of the PAS candidate for the by-election were Kelantan PAS commissioner and Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob, deputy commissioner I and Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, Kelantan PAS election machinery and operations co-director Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan and state Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chairman, Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadir.

Ahmad Fathan was among three candidates shortlisted by Kelantan PAS after the nomination process conducted by the party last week.

One of the other two candidates was said to be syariah lawyer Nik Baharom Nik Abdullah, who is also a member of the Kelantan Hudud Technical Committee, while the other shortlisted candidate was not revealed.

The Chempaka by-election will be held following the death of its incumbent assemblyman and former Kelantan menteri besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat from prostate cancer on Feb 12.

In the 13th general election, the 84-year-old PAS spiritual leader defeated Barisan Nasional candidate Wan Razman Wan Abdul Razak with a 6,500-vote majoriy.

The Election Commission has fixed March 22 for polling and March 10 for the nomination of candidates.