Leaders Bid Farewell To Azizan.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (standing, third from right) and his father, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (standing, right) among the people paying their last respects to Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak at Muassasah Darul Ulum cemetery in Pokok Sena, Kedah, yesterday.

 ALOR SETAR: Tan Sri Azizan Razak, the state's ninth menteri besar, succumbed to his four-month battle with illness yesterday, exactly a month shy of his 69th birthday. The passing of the first Kedah menteri besar from PAS was grieved by not only party members, but also politicians from across the divide.
 His successor, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, was delivering his opening speech at the state's Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan annual general assembly for farmers in Kepala Batas yesterday when an aide delivered him the news. Mukhriz paused in his speech for a good few seconds before conveying the sad news to the floor in a subdued tone.
 He cut short his speech, led the audience in reciting prayers before rushing to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, where his predecessor had since been warded for more than a month. Although both men belonged to different political parties, Mukhriz had consistently expressed concern over Azizan's health in the past and had even organised mass prayers for his speedy recovery.
 The bond between them extended beyond that of merely predecessor and successor, and proved that it was possible for leaders from the two biggest Malay parties to tear down the walls of politics in the name of humanity. Azizan, fondly known as Ustaz Jan among Kedahans, had showed how a menteri besar from the opposition could foster a cordial relationship with the Federal Government.
 He enjoyed a good personal relationship with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak by virtue of his friendship with the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the country's second prime minister. He had once said that he could be anywhere he wished, including in events where Barisan Nasional leaders were present, as long as he could reserve his right to say no to matters which he disagreed upon.
 This was misconstrued by several PAS insiders, who labelled him a pro-Umno menteri besar. In truth, Azizan was someone who made friends easily, including with those from BN. Politics for him was a matter of differences of opinion which should not prevent one from making friends. The five-term Sungai Limau assemblyman, a lawyer by training, had adopted a father-figure persona for his administration style. It was an open secret that he could be fierce, like an old-fashioned father, when it came to rules and regulations. This led to turbulence within the administration, as some felt that his style was intolerable.
 Insiders had tried several times to remove him from office during his five-year tenure as MB. Being a diabetic, Azizan was also attacked for his deteriorating health towards the end of his term in office. Despite calls for him to be replaced by someone younger, Azizan was determined to battle it out and complete his term. Despite mounting pressure, he had his way of handling uprising from the so-called professional faction within the party.
 He completed his first term in the hot seat and even triumphed in a four-cornered fight to defend his Sungai Limau seat in the 13th General Election. However, the hectic campaigning took a toll on his health and he was warded for limb infection two days after the election. On May 9, Azizan underwent surgery at Penang Hospital to amputate both his legs below the knee to prevent life-threatening risks. After spending more than two months there, he was transferred to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital.
 All hopes of a full recovery were shattered when he suffered a bacterial infection, which affected his vital organs and led to cardiac arrest on Wednesday. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family members yesterday morning. Azizan may have died, but the foundation for the politics of unity that he had built is too promising to be ignored.