PAS today criticised the government's move to ask political parties to obtain approval from the Foreign Affairs Ministry if they wanted to use the media in a foreign country to express their policies.

Party secretary-general Nasharudin Mat Isa said the move restricted freedom of information.

"As an opposition party, we don't receive accurate reports in the local media. The foreign media is able to report on the real situation in Malaysia," he told malaysiakini .

The PAS leader was responding to news reports today which quoted Information Ministry secretary-general Dr Arshad Hashim as saying political parties need the foreign affairs ministry's approval over this matter.

Arshad said this when asked to comment on claims that Kelantan PAS had used a radio station in southern Thailand to influence Malaysians of Thai origin and others to support the party.

No warnings

Meanwhile, Nasharudin said he was not aware of any law that states political parties must seek approval from the Foreign Affairs Ministry before going to the foreign media.

"In fact, the federal government has used the foreign media to spread political messages more often in the past.

"For example, they bring in foreign reporters to cover local events and ministers go abroad," he said.

The PAS leader said the party has not received any official warnings so far.

The Muslim-based party, which controls Kelantan and neighbouring Terengganu, is regarded as Malaysia's most potent opposition force.