Malay tabloid Sinar Harian has apologised to PAS Perak deputy commissioner Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin for publishing an allegedly slanderous front page report titled `Kristian Tolak PAS' in its Perak edition on Thursday.

The tabloid management's apology was carried by the following day's state edition.

NONE On Thursday, a furious Nizar ( left ) upon reading the report had threatened legal action as well as the lodging of a police report if the tabloid did not apologises within 48 hours.

On the same day, a legal notice to this effect was also dispatched by Nizar's lawyer A Sivanesan to the publication's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

When contacted today, Nizar said he has seen the apology by the tabloid in its Friday edition and has advised his lawyer accordingly.

"It was very wrong of the tabloid to carry such a slanderous front page caption story that could cause religious misunderstanding between the Christian community and PAS," said the PAS leader.

He added that the management should have consulted him before publishing the offensive front page, as religion is a sensitive matter.

"We stand by our political slogan that `PAS is for all' and want to promote religious tolerance and harmony among the various races in the country," Nizar said.

NONE On Wednesday, the PAS Perak had a dialogue session ( right ) with 18 church representatives from the Kinta valley to forge a better understanding between PAS and the Christian faith.

Meanwhile, when contacted Sivanesan confirmed receiving Nizar's SMS message yesterday and will contact him later for further instructions on the matter.

"In this case the article may not be seen as slanderous but the heading and the manner that it was published in the front page (of the tabloid) is not only misleading but defamatory in nature," explained the DAP leader, who is also Sungkai assemblyperson.