More than 50 PAS members submitted their application forms to join Umno to Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during a function in Pendang, Kedah today.

The 56 Unmo aspirants aged between 21 and 35 were led by businessman Kharulniza Kassim who hails from Kampung Assar here.

The 31-year-old former PAS divisional youth committee member said he had gained nothing after 10 years of being with the opposition party.

"I now realise that I should join Umno because of the development the government can bring," he said.

Asked why he chose to join Umno now and not earlier, the businessman said he only realised now that supporting PAS did not bring any good.

Pendang and neighbouring Anak Bukit former strongholds of PAS are gearing up for this Thursday's by-elections.

The by-elections were called following the death of PAS president Fadzil Noor last month.

After handing over their application forms, some of them hugged and kissed the deputy prime minister on his cheeks.

In his speech at the ground breaking ceremony for the new Majlis Daerah Pendang building earlier, Abdullah, who is also Umno deputy president said, only the ruling Barisan Nasional can ensure progress for the people.

Puteri psychology

Meanwhile, Puteri Umno member, Fauziah Osman said the youth are now slowly beginning to realise about PAS.

She said the wing's members encountered problems when visiting hardcore PAS areas to canvass for Umno but the "girls handled it well by using psychology to persuade the people".

"It is only the older people whose mind and perceptions we cannot change. The youth with higher education also seem to be stubborn due to the influence from their parents," said the 23-year-old clerk who is a native of Pendang.

She said the campaign period had taught the Puteri women well but many almost gave up due to the "scoldings from the locals".

"But we, as their elder sisters, try to retrain them and assure them that this is normal," she added.

Puteri Umno, headed by lawyer Azalina Othman Said, was formed last year with the hope of attracting younger Malay women into the party's fold.

The Pendang parliamentary and Anak Bukit state assembly seats belonged to Barisan Nasional until PAS wrested it away in the 1999 general election.

The population is comprised of 77,427 Malay Malaysians, 7,266 Chinese Malaysians, 6,189 Thai Malaysians and 1,012 Indian Malaysians.