Information Minister Khalil Yaakob should apologise for the broadcast of a doctored Cable News Network video in a Barisan Nasional 'propaganda footage', said an opposition leader today.

DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang said that a section in the controversial 90-second clip aired during prime time TV news had been taken from a CNN film which showed an Afghan woman being shot in the head by a Taliban soldier.

The footage had been doctored, claimed Lim adding the footage aired locally shows the woman shot three times whereas in the original CNN footage she is shot once.

The doctoring demonstrated dishonesty and violated all ethical and professional principles of broadcasting, said Lim in a press statement.

Khalil's insistence that the clip was a 'news item' is a national embarrassment showing the minister's inability to distinguish between news and propaganda, he added.

Lim went on to say, "The footage is clearly a political commercial of BN".

The DAP leader also questioned if the controversial broadcast was an attempt by Khalil's ministry to emulate a previous 'propaganda scam' during the 1990 general election in which former Semangat 46 leader Razaleigh Hamzah was targeted

The clip showed Razaleigh wearing a Kadazan headgear supposedly embroidered with a Christian cross - said to be proof that he had betrayed the Malays and Islam.

Ministers neglecting jobs

Lim also questioned the heavy presence of government ministers in Indera Kayangan whom he claimed are neglecting their departments.

"This is a measure of dishonest and dirty campaigning in Malaysian politics," he said.

DAP on Dec 30 announced its decision not to campaign with its former opposition front allies for the Indera Kayangan state seat by-election in Perlis this Saturday.

The party leadership said the decision was made to distance itself from PAS which advocates the setting-up of an Islamic state in the country.

The by-election will see Keadilan and BN in a straight fight for the seat. Campaigning began on Jan 10 and is now into its sixth day.

Many believe it will be a tough battle for both candidates - retired Chinese school headmistress Oui Ah Lan, 58, who is the MCA candidate, and former school teacher Khoo Yang Chong, 60, contesting for Keadilan.

The Indera Kayangan seat fell vacant following the death of BN state assemblyman Khor Liang Tee last month.