As expected, surau and mosques are still being used by the Pakatan Rakyat coalition to woo support from the Malays who constitute 53 per cent of the 64,500 registered voters in Hulu Selangor.

The practice is still going on despite protests from residents in the area who are fed up with the slanders being hurled against the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

For example in Kampung Seri Keledang, Hulu Bernam, several residents had complained because the house of worship was being used as a tool for campaigning in the by-election on Sunday by Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

"It's not proper that the mosque is being used for political campaigns because there will be accusations and counter-accusations, slanders and criticising other people," said a Felda Soeharto settler, Baharin Arshad, 68, commenting on the matter.

Baharin said he feared that such acts would bring down the sanctity of the religion.

"This is not right... why should the mosque loudspeakers be used for political ceramah till late at night," pointed out Hulu Selangor Umno Youth chief Mahmud Karim who claimed that almost all the major mosques in Hulu Selangor were being used for political campaigns.

Selangor BN deputy chairman Noh Omar had earlier called on the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Jais) to adhere to the reminder by the Sultan of Selangor that mosques should not be used for political purposes.

Despite the royal reminder, several key leaders from the opposition coalition such as PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is scheduled to deliver a Maghrib lecture at the Kuala Kubu Bharu mosque today.

It is learnt that the Batang Kali Umno Youth will send a protest memorandum to Jais at 9.30am today on the use of mosques for campaigning.

- Bernama