Controversy over Islamic opposition party PAS' election promise that its supporters will go to heaven forced Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to break his silence on the issue.

"Life after death is the promise of God. We cannot promise heaven, it's up to God to decide," he told some 10,000 supporters at a rally in Seremban yesterday.

"We can only work hard to become good Muslims."

Abdullah had previously angrily refused to be drawn into the controversy, which has become a talking point ahead of general elections on March 21 which are being closely watched for signs of growing Islamic fundamentalism.

PAS has said that voters who cast their ballots for its candidates will go to heaven while others will go to hell.

"It is already stated in the Koran that those who rally behind Islam are also those who want to live under divine laws laid down by Allah," said PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

"And naturally they will go to heaven for choosing an Islamic party while those who support un-Islamic parties will logically go to hell."

Former premier Mahathir Mohamad has already been drawn into the fray, asking whether "rogues and rapists will also enter heaven if they are PAS members and vote for the party.

"I want to ask Nik Aziz when did he go to heaven and see the people who voted for PAS up there in paradise."

Fair to all races

Abdullah's Umno also professes Islam and competes with PAS for the votes for the Malay Muslim majority, but PAS says the government is not Islamic enough and it wants to create a theocratic state.

At the rally, Abdullah, who majored in Islamic studies at university, recited verses from the Koran, sometimes in Arabic.

But as he has done in previous campaign appearances, he stressed that his government would represent all the races in Malaysia, which includes large non-Muslim Chinese and Indian minorities.

"Everyone has the same rights under the constitution and they demand the same system of justice.

"We need to be fair and just to all races. This is required by Islam," he said. "I'm prime minister for all Muslims and other races."

Abdullah's Umno heads a ruling coalition of 14 parties, including the main representatives of the Chinese and Indians, who make up more than a third of the population of 25 million. - AFP