Madrasah Salihiah - What's With Azizan's Over Enthusiasm?

Does anybody know what is up with mb azizan? There has been so many voices of concerns about him, mostly even from pas members. I mean, here we are, at an age and health where so many devote so much of their time in prayers and repentence...well, unless if you are one of the yellow-wearing, yellow bellied anwar supporters...and here we have azizan adamant about tearing down the 100 plus year old Madrasah Salihiah and have Sony Ho transform the Waqf land which was meant for Islamic religious activities into a shopping center. Even azizan's stanchest supporters have kept themselves quiet, too afraid if they are asked.

In a time, since 2008, when many developers from Kedah complaint that the state government is not promoting property development, it was a shocking move when azizan decided to create a joint venture, PKNK with a Penang-based company, Belleview overnight, to develop several chunks of prime state lands, making it one of the most massive property development in Alor Setar in years. As can be seen in the image below, the areas lined in yellow are the areas which are to be developed by Belleview. It is easy to recognize the areas: they are gated with zinc gates with the name of Belleview and ABAI spray-painted on many parts of them.

The blue square is where Madrasah Salihiah is located. Looking at the size of the development to be done by PKNK-Belleview, what is it about the Waqf land where the Madrasah Salihiah stands that azizan and sony ho feverishly wanted to take so much?

Alor Setar, and in fact, the whole state of Kedah has no shortage of developers, but many of them question of deciding on Sony Ho over them. Perhaps azizan finds Kedah developers too much of a small fry.

Many Kedahans wonder why it was so important for azizan to get rid of the surau and is it so important to have a shopping complex built over a Waqf land? We have seen pas, through their misguided exco and spin-dogs try their best to tarnish the image of the surau, such as, it's an insurance office, no jama'ah has ever been conducted there, the surau is not proper etc etc, but they failed miserably to dispute the fact that the Waqf land status remain as it has always been, no matter how much dirt they try to pile on. I mean, this is not a pas headquarters where filth sticks around all the time, this is a Waqf land.

Perhaps it is just azizan trying to have his way as usual? Azizan has always been known to be hard-headed in doing things his way. It's always his way or no way at all. It has never been a secret that the Kedah exco members loathe their own MB: they usually make themselves scarce after exco meetings and any functions that require their presence with azizan. In fact, it has been a weekly gag of Wisma Darulaman staffs betting amongst themselves on "sapa kena tembak" (who got screamed at) during the exco meeting of the day. Phahrolrazi and Amiruddin have been the only two exco members loyal and thick-skinned enough to withstand azizan's choleric tantrum. Then again, many have heard phahrolrazi and amiruddin complaining as, to azizan, his words are the law, no questions asked. He will not listen to your advice, only his own. If you question his decision/advice/ruling, be prepared for the biggest, skin-peeling, sweat squeezing, stomach turning dressing down ever. You think his outburst during the post Banjir Kedah 2010 was bad? Wait till join his exco. Well, on this, we must say that at least Kedah did not end up like Perak's pakatan government where you have Nga and Ngeh of DAP playing power through their dummy from pas, nizar.

But really, why would somebody like azizan  get so engrossed and striving so hard to demolish Madrasah Salihiah? We understand that Azizan's many decisions have earned the ire of fellow pakatan members. In fact, anwar spent so much time conspiring to get rid of azizan ever since day one of his MB tenureship. His lack of priority of giving million-dollar projects to fellow pakatan members have resulted in many quarters chanting about digging azizan's grave, his defence on the College and University Act almost destroyed pas Kedah from within. This time, however, on his obsession to demolish Madrasah Salihiah, pas quietly follows behind him. Of course, to some people, it is obvious why.

With that much enthusiasm, especially with the statement saying that the demolition might be done even while the courts are still discussing about it, azizan sounds like he'll be in the front row, cheering and clapping while watching the surau being demolished on the Waqf land.