DAR AL ISLAM - MALAYSIA: ELECTIONS IN A 'SECULAR' MALAYSIA

Malaysia's Islamic opposition gears up for elections with attack on prime minister

KOTA BHARU, Malaysia: Malaysia's Islamic opposition party unleashed an unusually scathing attack against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday, accusing him of pretending to be a pious Muslim leader and ignoring corruption that besets the country.

The criticism by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party or PAS, the country's biggest opposition group, marked a new push in its campaign to prevent Abdullah's ruling coalition from achieving another landslide victory in national elections, widely expected by early 2008.

"It is shameful that even though he (Abdullah) is famed with his approach of Islam Hadhari (progressive Islam), which has been publicized all over the world, exposures of corruption are increasingly severe in his administration," PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang said in a speech opening the party's annual congress.

Abdul Hadi, speaking to more than 1,000 cheering party officials, said the government has denied — but failed to disprove — the opposition's growing allegations of graft, such as claims that the Defense Ministry paid massive commissions to middlemen in the purchase of Russian aircraft and French submarines.

Abdullah "has not seen all this, or perhaps he has fallen asleep," Abdul Hadi said in the party's northeastern stronghold of Kelantan, Malaysia's sole opposition-ruled state. "Our nation is ruled by thieves in (Muslim clothes) and robbers who show off religious credentials with the brand of Islamic Hadhari."

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"In a true democracy, where the stance of opposition parties is not distorted by the government's propaganda, the struggle of PAS would gain acceptance among both Muslims and non-Muslims," he said.

Abdul Hadi retained his presidency unopposed in party elections Friday, while contests for other senior posts reflected a tussle between conservative clerics and relatively progressive professionals. Results of the party ballot, held every two years, were expected Sunday.



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