The PAS spiritual leader has urged religious scholars to practice polygamy, saying they could rid the practice of its bad reputation.

NONE Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who leads PAS which is part of the opposition alliance, said that ulamas could be model polygamous husbands.

"Normally, when a man likes a beautiful woman, he will take her as his second wife," he said according to the New Straits Times .

"But after they have children, he will divorce the woman. This is the bad image that I meant which should be cleaned up," he said. "Ulama can play an important role in clearing this image."

Nik Aziz said it was important to project a better image of polygamy, "especially in the era of information and communication technology, so that Islamic practices can be emulated by all communities."

Muslim men in Malaysia are allowed up to four wives.

Activists and women's groups say polygamy is cruel and has deviated from its original purpose in Islam, which was to protect widows and orphans.

Fear of high dowries

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Nik Aziz is against raising the dowry for Muslim women for fear that many of them may end

up as old maids.

"We do not propose to raise the dowry in Kelantan and will retain the existing regulation," he told reporters today when asked to comment on the Selangor govenment's decision to raise the dowry in the state from RM80 to RM300 effective Jan 1 next year.

Nik Aziz said he did not care much for dowries, including the dowries

for his children when they got married.

"I set not more than RM1,000 (including gifts) for the dowry for each of my children," he said after delivering the Friday sermon here.

He said demanding very high dowries and gifts was just to show off.

The Kelantan Islamic Family Enactcment does not fix a specific sum as dowry for those intending to get married in the state.