The Malays are backward because of Barisan Nasional and not PAS as claimed by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a PAS leader said today.

Central committee member Mahfuz Omar charged that the New Economic Policy (NEP) has been among the root causes of the problem.

The Pokok Sena MP said the NEP had been tainted with corruption, marginalisation, discrimination and monopoly over the past two decades.

"The wealth of the country is concentrated (in the hands of) a few individuals who have a close relationship with the government," he stressed, adding that this 'fuedalistic' practice has turned the Malays into a 'passive' race

"The government continues to cultivate this feudalism among Malays who support it, but this has resulted (in the race) losing confidence and initiative and continuing to be marginalised."

'Dependence syndrome'

Mahfuz said the opposition has had nothing to do with these policies and it has consistently urged the Malays to break free from this 'dependence syndrome'.

"It is clear that all this backwardness only took place in the past 20 years, while PAS was established 42 years ago," he told reporters.

In an interview with The Star published yesterday, the outgoing premier had pinned the blame on PAS for leading the Malays along a regressive path.

Mahathir was reacting to a question as to why non-Muslims perceive the Muslims as being backward and becoming more conservative despite the progress brought about under the premier's 22-year rule.

"Yes, that is because of the opposition. What happened is that PAS made use of religion to subvert Umno and to make it appear that Umno is not an Islamic party," he was quoted as saying.

"Then, of course, people began to move in that direction. PAS is not interested in Islam at all, it is interested only is using Islam."