The PAS candidate who failed to retain the Pendang parliamentary seat for his party last month today countered Umno's allegations that PAS members in the district were distancing themselves from Umno.

Dr Mohd Hayati Othman claimed instead that it was Umno members who often stayed away from the kampungs of PAS supporters. It's the other way round, he said

"Roads in front of houses of PAS members are neglected but roads in front of Umno members are tarred. Come and see for yourself," he said, when contacted in Pendang this afternoon.

"How can they do this? Everyone pay the same taxes and hope to get the same benefits," he added.

Hayati was responding to a claim made by newly- elected Pendang member of Parliament Othman Abdul who said that he regretted the attitude of PAS members and supporters who alienated themselves from society.

Othman was quoted in a local Malay daily today as saying that PAS supporters did not want to socialise with others, especially those who supported Umno, after the by-election on July 18.

He said such attitude made unity among the people in Pendang "difficult to realise" eventhough PAS claimed that it struggles for Islam, and should unite its people.

Othman expressed regret that a group of PAS supporters in Kampung Tempoyak erected a signboard prohibiting Umno members from entering the kampung.

Other than this incident, he added, a thanksgiving dinner held to commemorate Barisan Nasional's victory in Pendang was shunned by PAS supporters despite invitations being sent to them.

According to BN sources, the dinners was attended by about 10,000 people.

Hayati said Umno and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is still practising the concept of divide and rule which was very "glaring" in Pendang.

Asked what he was doing now that the election is over, Hayati said, "I am still doing what I have always been doing. Running my medical practice".

The Pendang seat fell vacant following the death of former PAS president and Opposition Leader Fadzil Noor on June 23.

In the by-election, Othman defeated Hayati by a mere 283 votes. Othman obtained 22,285 votes and hayati 22,542 at the polls.

In the 1995 general elections, Othman loss the seat to Fadzil with a majority of 2,939. Othman had been MP in Pendang for four terms before losing to Fadzil in 1999.