The recent curbs on ceramahs (talks) and the Internal Security Act crackdown on student activists are leading the country to a one-party system, warned an opposition leader today.

"The curb on ceramahs is to safeguard Barisan Nasional. And coupled with the tightening of the Universities and University Colleges Act, the indications are that the country is heading towards a one-party state," lamented Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

"If the opposition is given a fair chance to air its views, then we will have the opportunity to expose their (the government's) wrongdoings. But the ruling BN is afraid of losing (the elections)." said Nik Aziz, who is also PAS' spiritual leader.

"Malaysia is not their property; it belongs to the rakyat."

Nik Aziz added that the opposition is at a disadvantage in the propaganda war.

"There is no radio or TV station for us. And the only paper we have (Harakah) is being pushed and pulled in all directions. There exists an imbalance of opportunities to propagate our viewpoints when compared with BN. This is not democracy," he said.

Lunas different from Likas

According to Nik Aziz, the opposition lost in Sabah's Likas by-election on Saturday because of the lack of opportunities to explain issues to voters.

"The defeat is expected," he said.

BN's Yong Teck Lee recaptured Likas with an increased majority against two main opposition candidates, PBS' Dr Chong Eng Leong and Keadilan's Christina Liew.

However, Nik Aziz refused to elaborate on the apparent rift in the opposition as demonstrated by its failure to agree on a single candidate to face BN in the state seat.

Nik Aziz contended that the difference between Kedah's state seat Lunas and Likas is the vastly different environments where campaigning took place.

"We had opportunity to start the campaigning early and we could have our ceramahs in Lunas. However, of late, ceramahs have increasingly come under pressure from the authorities, who are moving in to ban or restrict them," he said.

The police said last week that it will enforce a ban on ceramahs nationwide.

Nik Aziz said that another constraint faced by the opposition was that Likas covered a much larger area.

"Lunas is quite small. To campaign in Likas, you need boats and so on. The expenditure can be very high."

Last November, Keadilan took BN's stronghold Lunas in a by-election, a result which has rattled the government.

On the Prime Minister's call for PAS to put down in writing PAS' model of an Islamic state, Nik Aziz said that people only need to look at Kelantan of what to expect from the party if it gets a free hand at running the country.

"PAS exists to champion Islam. Kelantan has formed a state this is based on Islam. Whatever that is forbidden by Islam is forbidden; whatever is permissible is allowed here."

He added that the creation of an Islamic state is something that had been sought after by PAS since its inception.

"Our party's policy is based on Islam. People just need to look at our manifesto, which is in writing. If there is a need for a written document, then please refer to the manifesto," he said.

Smut peddlers

Nik Aziz also blamed the Selangor state government's inaction for the proliferation of porn VCDs and illegal video arcades

"We have decided to curb all unhealthy things like pornography and nightclubs in Kelantan early, and people, including the smut vendors, here have come to accept it.

"And as such, there is no resentment in these people unlike in Selangor, which 'permitted' things like this to go on.

"The vendors invest millions of ringgit in the porn business, and only then did Selangor decided to go after these people. No wonder there is resentment and chaos."

He also said that Kelantan banned gambling when it took power from BN over a decade ago.

"In the 1990s, some Kelantan towkays came to see me to ask me to permit gambling for the Chinese. I asked them whether gambling is for the rakyat's benefit, or does it only benefit a select group of towkays?

He said that gambling has not been proven to be good for society.

"Gambling is a means of profiting from chance. There is no rule or method of success. A professor can lose, while an illiterate can win at the gambling table. This is not a means of making a living, but a scam from which only the towkays profit," said Nik Aziz.