Using Chinese Muslim officials and converts to campaign for PAS is a "cheap trick" to mislead the people, said Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting in Pendang, Kedah today.

Ong, who is also MCA vice-president, said the Chinese-based political party will try its best to expose the 'lies' told by these campaigners.

He said PAS brought the Chinese Muslim converts to "talk only sweet words" without reflecting the "real PAS mentality".

"The Chinese know what PAS is doing. They also know that the opposition cannot be compared to Barisan Nasional who has 45 years of record and is a party that tries to strike a balance and promote a multi-racial society," he said.

He told reporters this after the ground-breaking ceremony of the new Pendang district council, officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Pendang and Anak Bukit folks will go to the polls on July 18, after an eight-day campaign period.

The ruling BN government had occupied both seats through Umno until PAS wrested them away in the 1999 general election.

'Chinese rights'

Ong voiced his confidence in garnering the support of Chinese Malaysian voters, stating that they are very clear about PAS' "extremism and fanaticism".

He claimed that PAS' assurance that Chinese Malaysian voters will be guaranteed their 'rights' was not true.

"For example, it was said that the Terengganu government allowed the Chinese to rear pigs but they actually set conditions. They said all the meat must be consumed locally but we know how many Chinese we have in the area," he said.

"So as far as rearing pigs is concerned, it is no-go for the Chinese over there," he added.

Ong also criticised the controversial Terengganu Syariah Criminal Offences ( Hudud and Qisas ) enactment passed by the PAS state government recently.

"First they said non-Muslims will not be affected. When they are questioned why there are double standards, they said that the law will be applied to non-Muslims when [they understand it].

"It is clear that PAS leaders are contradicting themselves here," he said.

The Pendang parliamentary and Anak Bukit state assembly seats fell vacant following the death of PAS president Fadzil Noor on June 23.

PAS is fielding Dr Mohamed Hayati Othman in Pendang against BN's Othman Abdul, and Amiruddin Hamzah to take on Zakaria Said in Anak Bukit.

The combined electorate consists of 77,427 Malay Malaysians, 7,266 Chinese Malaysians, 6,189 Thai Malaysians and 1,012 Indian Malaysians.