PAS has likened Barisan Nasional (BN) to the Zionist regime for controlling the media to ensure that it continues to rule the country.

PAS Youth deputy head Idris Ahmad accused the ruling front of using the media to paint a negative picture of the opposition party in order to win the upcoming Kuala Berang by-election.

"The negative picture is an adaptation of the Zionist concept of controlling the media.

"This tactic is carried out to validate the 'barbarian' government's moves to ensure it continues to rule this nation," he was quoted as saying in a Harakah online report yesterday.

He said it was the norm for BN to use smear tactics to defame their opponents using made-up issues during every election.

"That includes issues of being beaten, lifting up of sarongs, sabotage here and there, and various other cheap issues, all of which are alleged to have been carried out by their opponents, particularly PAS," he added.

Assault report

Idris was responding to a report that three BN supporters were allegedly assaulted by supporters of a 'certain political party'.

The trio were said to be slapped, beaten with a piece of wood and had water splashed on them as they passed the supporters of this 'certain political party' in Hulu Terengganu.

The Kuala Berang state seat falls under the Hulu Terengganu parliamentary constituency.

The Aug 28 by-election was called following the death of BN incumbent Komaruddin Abdul Rahman on July 30.

In the upcoming contest PAS candidate Muhyidin Abdul Rasyid will take on BN's Mohd Zawawi Alias.

Meanwhile, Idris also took a swipe at the Election Commission (EC) for being rude to the PAS candidate during Monday's nomination proceedings.

He said EC officials had directed Muhyiddin and his representatives to sit in the canteen while the BN candidate was allowed to wait in an air-conditioned room.

'Grey areas'

In a related development, BN reveals that it has identified several 'grey areas' in the Kuala Berang constituency which requires greater focus during the campaigning period.

"We will pay attention to all areas irrespective of whether it is our stronghold or not, but we have identified several areas which we need to focus on from time to time," said its by-election coordinator Muhammad Muhd Taib.

Although he did not specify the areas concerned, it is understood that they involve PAS strongholds in the constituency.

In the March 21 general election, the late Komaruddin defeated PAS candidate Dr Mamad Puteh with a majority of 1,695 votes to capture the Kuala Berang seat.

In the 1999 polls, Mamad won the seat by a majority of 1,844 votes.

Muhd Taib told Bernama that a study indicated that about 60 to 65 percent of the Kuala Berang constituency supported the BN candidate.

Even so, he added, BN will still hold co-ordination meetings every night to identify issues and places which require further attention.

"We will be able to see if there are any small matters of concern, and we can focus more attention on them to resolve them.

"We hold nightly co-ordination meetings so that remedial action can be taken without delay," he said.