I refer to the recent poll by The Star in Terengganu that shows while only slightly more than half of non-Malay favour BN in the state seats, two-thirds favoured BN in the parliamentary seats.

The huge difference can be accounted by the tug of war between economic reality and real long term beliefs of the non-Malays that is manifested in Terengganu.

Prior to 1999, the old-guards of Umno who ruled Terengganu severely neglected their constituents and abused their power. In many ways, the non-Malays in Terengganu was treated worst than the rest of the country.

Some of the issues were things like being denied land, imposed unreasonable charges especially for entrance into Chinatown, appropriation of land from non-Malays for an Umno building in Kemaman, etc.

The old guards essentially practised all the abuses of the Mahathir administration but did not quite bring the development that Mahathir had brought to the rest of the country.

Hence, PAS was able to capitalise on these issues by making sure that non-Malay bread and butter issues were taken care of. Land application was approved, funding for Chinese schools was given out, extraneous charges were dropped, etc.

But to most non-Malays in Terengganu the ideology issue still favoured BN. The two-thirds majority for BN parliamentary seats in Terengganu showed that as far as Islamic state is concerned, the non-Malays do not buy it. In Kelantan, the other polls indicate a more startling difference.

After years of PAS rule, most non-Malays in Kelantan knows that the good treatment from PAS

goes just so far and for so long. They have realised what we all suspect: that when PAS comes to power, the treatment between to non-Malays/non-Muslims and the Malays/Muslims will grow with time.

PAS is not an alternative for non-Malays/Muslim in this country. It is at best an electoral tool to check on BN and their abuses - much like DAP was and maybe Keadilan will be too, if PAS goes too far.