PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat says the government-controlled media is out to split Pakatan Rakyat by harping on claims that the coalition will appoint DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang as deputy prime minister if it takes control of Putrajaya.

He said the BN media was portraying this as racial issue even though Umno chose to forgo the Penang chief minister's post to Chinese-majority Gerakan despite having the majority of seats in the state legislative assembly.

"At that time, where was the issue of ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy)? Was it hidden in Umno's songkok (headgear)? Where were the academicians and professors who would debate on the matter?

"What about when former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged the people to forget their roots to make 1Malaysia a success? Were there calls to banish him from the country?

pas muktamar 130610 nik abdul aziz nik mat 1 "Isn't forgetting one's ancestry include not paying attention to the concept of ketuanan Melayu? " Nik Aziz ( left ) asked in a statement today.

During the third Malaysia-Europe Forum Dialogue in Kuala Lumpur two days ago, Mahathir had chided those who spoke on "1Malaysia principles" while identifying themselves their own ethnic groups.

A pious Muslim non-Malay can even be PM

Nik Aziz was commenting on the uproar raised by several dailies over a comment by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to Sin Chew Daily that a non-Malay can take the deputy premier's post.

It has been assumed that Anwar was referring to Lim, DAP veteran and parliamentary opposition leader for 30 years, who would be made deputy premier should Pakatan take Putrajaya in the next general election.

PAS leaders have been quick to point out that the matter was Anwar's personal opinion and not the official stand of the coalition.

Nik Aziz also reiterated his stand that non-Malays can be allowed the leadership of states or the federal government, provided they were Muslims.

"In Kelantan, I have issued a statement many times that even a Chinese can be the menteri besar, if he is a pious Muslim.

"Lim or anybody can be the DPM, or even prime minister, but the only the condition that he is a pious Muslim.

"A pious Muslim, even being a non-Malay, can bring more benefits to the country compared with a Malay Muslim who is corrupt," added Nik Aziz, Kelatan's longest serving menteri besar.

  Legal expert: PM does not need to be Malay

Meanwhile, a Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia expert on the constitution. Abdul Aziz Bari, said the charter does not even require that a Malay must be prime minister.

"What is important is that the PM has the most support in the Dewan Rakyat.

"Even in the nine Malay states ruled by sultans, the Malay requirement for menteri besar can be done away with by the sultan under certain circumstances (such as, when there is no Malay in the state assembly or if the available Malay ADUNs are not suitable)," he said.

In his statement, Aziz also reiterated that the Federal Constitution certainly does not provide for the DPM to be Malay, and that it is very much an 'Umno creation'.

They consider it to be the post for the Umno No.2, and for this person to be successor to the PM, he said.

"It is better to have a Chinese PM - and not just DPM - who respects the Constitution, rather than a Malay PM who considers himself to be above the Constitution," Aziz added.