Islamic party PAS today vowed to continue promising heaven to voters who support it in March 21 elections despite a warning the tactic was illegal, the official Bernama news agency reported.

The Election Commission, which overseas the running of the polls, said guaranteeing heaven to win votes was akin to cheating the electorate and was an offence outlawed during the official campaign period.

But PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat said the party would use the issue until nomination day on March 13 when official campaigning begins.

"I will use the issue of heaven and hell before nomination day and after the election," Nik Aziz was quoted as saying.

"Everyone who champions Islam must speak out on heaven and hell. If they do not mention it, they are not an Islamic fighter," he said.

PAS, the main opposition party, wants to turn secular Malaysia into an Islamic state.

Suicide bombers

Meanwhile in Terengganu, party president Abdul Hadi Awang defended Palestinian suicide bombers, saying they were driven to "sacrifice themselves" by Israeli oppression.

Although Islam forbids suicide, he said it was the correct course of action for the Palestinians because their people were being killed, their homes destroyed and they could not work because of the security fence Israel was putting up in the West Bank.

Israel was also using children and civilians as human shields, he said.

"They have no other choice... that's why they sacrifice themselves. It's their right to defend their pride and religion and their holy land," Abdul Hadi told reporters, but stressed this applied only to the Palestinian cause.

"It's just not me but all (Palestine) sympathisers," he said. - AFP