Islamic opposition party PAS will require Muslim women to wear headscarves and ban mini-skirts for non-Muslims if it wins a northern state in weekend elections, a report said today.

The dress code, to be implemented if the fundamentalist PAS wrests control of Kedah state, will be similar to those imposed in nearby Kelantan and Terengganu states already held by the party, the New Straits Times said.

Wan Tom Wan Mohamad Noor, head of the PAS' women's wing in Kedah, was quoted in the newspaper as saying the dress code would help curb most social ills and crime, including rape and incest.

It would be introduced gradually to allow the community to better understand the reasons for any regulation, she said.

The planned dress code would require Muslim women to cover their bodies with scarves, veils and loose clothing.

Non-Muslim women would be exempted from having to wear headscarves but would be asked to shun short skirts and tight-fitting and revealing clothes.

Wan Tom said the way women dressed in public could spark sexual arousal among men, who would then have to satisfy their lust.

"This explains why even women who are decently dressed and wear tudung (headscarves) fall victim to rape and murder," she said.

Rape: 'Dress a contribution factor'

Wan Tom, who is contesting a seat in Kedah, said the issue of violence against women was among the topics raised by the public during the campaign.

"When we mention incest and rape, the question we keep getting are why women who are decently dressed and children became victims and we feel dress is a contributing factor," she said.

Kedah, known as Malaysia's rice bowl, has emerged as a key battleground state in Sunday's elections, with the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition campaigning hard to maintain its hold.

Malaysia is one of the world's most developed Islamic countries, boasting modern highways, gleaming skyscrapers, resplendent mosques, high-tech factories and a pulsating nightlife of discos and restaurants.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, an advocate of a moderate and modernist Islam, said the single most important issue in the elections was the attitude of Muslims towards religion in government. - AFP