The MP for Gua Musang, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, refuted the PAS allegation that he had played out the Orang Asli community by disposing off files containing their land applications when he took Semangat 46 out of the Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah (APU) to join Umno.

He said the allegation was totally untrue and the files mentioned actually did not exist.

"The allegation is not true... I am also puzzled why people representing an Islamic party would make such lies," he told reporters after meeting with Chinese voters in Kampung Sungai Buru, Galas last night.

He said that there were many Orang Asli in Gua Musang at that time and some in Jeli, and he had been given the responsibility of looking after the welfare of the Orang Asli by the APU which was then participated by PAS and Semangat 46.

However, he said matters concerning the welfare of the Orang Asli including the allocation of land had never been discussed at all by the highest committee of the coalition which also included the then PAS president Fadzil Noor and himself.

PAS government should give the land

However, as a leader who is concerned about the welfare of the Orang Asli, he had asked the district officer then to approve the allocation of land to the Orang Asli under the powers vested on the district officer himself, said Tengku Razaleigh.

"Neither the federal government nor I have the power over state government land.

If they are dissatisfied because I had purportedly played out the Orang Asli, then the PAS government should give the land, but they are not doing it," he said.

Tengku Razaleigh said although the PAS party machinery appeared to be making personal attacks against him, he would not respond by doing the same thing although he had received negative information on the PAS candidate Dr Zulkefli Mohamad, 44, who is also the PAS Gua Musang acting chairperson.

"If PAS wants to make personal attacks, it's up to the party... they should bear (the sin). But we will continue explaining the government policy and what we will do for the benefit of the people.

The by-election for the Galas state constituency on Thursday will see a straight fight between Dr Zulkefli and the BN, represented by Abdul Aziz Yusof, 49, who is the Gua Musang Umno division secretary.

The by-election is being held following the death of the incumbent assemblyperson Chek Hashim Sulaima, from PAS, on Sept 27.

- Bernama