Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today Pakatan Rakyat leaders' denial of PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim being a liability to PAS was an attempt to pull wool over the people's eyes.

He said the truth of the matter was that PAS, DAP and PKR did not really get along.

"Why must they issue such (denial) statements? It is plain that PAS and Anwar are working together in the opposition pact.

"The lesson for us is that they are playing a double game," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the cabinet committee on human capital development at Parliament house.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had said yesterday that PAS's defeat in the Kerdau and Merlimau by-elections was due to, among others, the factor of Anwar being a liability to the party.

Muhyiddin was commenting on the statement by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution today dismissing Najib's assumption and likening it to a normal political assault by the BN.

Saifuddin, who is the MP for Machang, had said the opposition acknowledged that Anwar was not the only factor which determined victory but the Anwar factor was relevant and significant in ensuring the strength of the opposition pact.

Muhyiddin said the opposition's defeat in the by-elections had dealt a huge blow to PAS as the presence of Anwar and other opposition leaders during the by-election campaigns had not contributed to votes for the party's candidates.

"If possible, they would have preferred Anwar to stay away. We know from our sources that they feel Anwar has become a liability. Anwar's image has been tainted.

"PAS would want to keep a distance if it could. However, Anwar thinks it is his right as the opposition leader to go down to the ground," he said.

Asked to comment on the PAS-led Kelantan government's decision not to budge from its stand on a blanket ban on gambling in the state despite DAP's call to revoke the decision, Muhyiddin said non-Muslims should be allowed to evaluate the PAS government's stand on the matter.

Nik Aziz also a liability, says CM

He said he was informed that the MCA had lodged a report with the authorities on the matter.

On Feb 28, the Kota Bharu local authority raided two bookshops in the city selling lottery tickets, raising claims that the PAS government was denying the rights of non-Muslims in the state.

Meanwhile, PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is a liability to his party, said Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam.

Mohd Ali said today that the Kelantan menteri besar gave his views without giving any basis that the people could understand, causing PAS to lose support.

"Nik Aziz should look at himself and his own state first (before commenting on others)," he told reporters in Malacca.

Mohd Ali was responding to the statement of Nik Aziz yesterday that he did not consider as "halal" the BN wins in the Merlimau and Kerdau by-elections in Malacca and Kedah on Sunday because BN had allegedly used government machinery.

Mohd Ali said the decline in support for PAS was evident from the outcome of the by-elections which BN won with increased majorities.

He also refuted the claim of Nik Aziz that BN used dirty tactics to win the by-elections.

"He is faulting others for his loss. The BN win in Merlimau is genuine, clean, transparent and sincere," Mohd Ali said.

- Bernama