KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — Kelantan voters should not just look at holiness when electing their leaders, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said today after floods ravaged the state that has been ruled by Islamist party PAS for over two decades.

The former de-facto law minister said in his blog that people-oriented leaders with economic and environmental acumen should be chosen instead as they would be able to improve society and protect people and property.

“Managing a modern state or government is a complex process in the 21st century, and so Kelantanese must start looking for other qualities in their leaders besides the ability to lead in prayers,” Zaid wrote in a blog post titled “The floods”.

The Kelantan-born claimed that PAS has not done much to build Kelantan’s economy in its rule for the past 24 years.

He also said the floods that inundated the east coast recently – the worst Malaysia has experienced in decades – were likely due to climate changes instead of divine punishment, noting that worse disasters have occurred in other countries like Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and China.

PAS’ Pasir Mas MP Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz has said the floods were a sign of God’s wrath and urged the Kelantan government to continue pushing for hudud law.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, meanwhile, called the disaster a test from God.

“God, however, does not need to ‘test’ anything or anyone as He is all-knowing and surely already knows the outcome of such tests,” Zaid said in response.

“Some people say that the flood is God’s punishment for people’s sins. I am not sure that’s a viable proposition either, because Allah is Merciful and Just and he would not punish all and sundry including the innocent, babies and the elderly for the sins of the few,” he added.

Zaid also stressed that the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government should assist Kelantan without extracting political concessions from PAS, amid renewed suggestions of an Umno-PAS unity government to speed up the recovery process.

“In times of crisis, it is especially cruel to conduct political horse-trading when what is required is a bipartisan approach to solving problems. That’s how the federal system works in other countries, but can Umno be civil, helpful and responsible for positive change while making no political capital from the flood disaster in Kelantan?” he questioned.

Displaced people are beginning to return home as the floodwaters subside after the disaster saw almost 250,000 people evacuated from their homes at one point.