In view of Malaysia's deteriorating international competitiveness, DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang has called on Umno and PAS to stop their competition to 'out-Islam and out-Islamic state" each other.

Lim said in a press statement today that the competition between the two rival Malay-Muslim based parties is "worsening the national investment climate in an already bleak global economic scenario".

"The seriousness of this Umno-PAS rivalry to out-Islam and out-Islamic state each other to the detriment of Malaysia's international competitiveness was highlighted by two events which preceded Friday's budget presentation," said Lim.

"[First, it is] the recent two-day Selangor state government seminar on "Understanding Malaysia as an Islamic state" to implement Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's declaration that the country was already an Islamic state on Sept 29 last year.

"[The other is] the immediate ban by the PAS Kelantan state government on women taking part in any public concerts or other live entertainment shows in the state," he said.