PAS has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Labis MP Chua Tee Yong to retract his allegation that PAS candidate Normala Sudirman had questioned the sale of alcohol.

NONE "We want him to come up with hard evidence that she actually said this," said PAS deputy commissioner Dzulkefly Ahmad, who is also the party's by-election coordinator.

Chua ( right ) was reported to have said yesterday morning that he had received complaints from a coffeeshop owner that Normala asked why he was selling beer in his outlet.

"We want him to give us the name of the coffeeshop, (as well as) the date and time that Normala said this, by 12 noon tomorrow. If not, we will file a defamation suit against him," said Dzulkefly.

In a report by China Press , Chua said, “According to the information that I received, during Normala’s walkabout, she asked the coffeeshop owner why he sells beer. The owner (replied) that it is his right to do so.”

In MCA’s onslaught in the by-election campaign, party leaders have continually raised the issue of PAS’ vision of an Islamic state.

The party has unleashed a series of leaflets warning the Chinese community, who forms a sizeble 39 percent of the electorate, that PAS does not have non-Muslim's interest at heart. 

MCA is turning Normala's refusal to shake hands with men into an election issue. 

PAS is the underdog in the Tenang race as this is traditionally an Umno stronghold. Polling is on Jan 30.