The ongoing campaign for the new PAS Youth chief is the "most heinous" in his 28 years in the movement, says incumbent Youth chief Nasruddin Hassan.

NONE "Don't sully the movement's purity, harmony and peace by lowering yourselves to this macai and outdated way, by maligning other candidates to seek sympathy or raise one's profile," Nasruddin said in a statement oday.

Macai is popular Malay slang, originating from a Cantonese term, to mean an errand boy who does the bidding of the boss without question.

Nasruddin said the candidates should instead present their track record and be judged by their morals and principles.

This was echoed by Johor PAS Youth chief Faizul Salleh, who said that he has lodged a report with the party elections committee on what they see as "unhealthy" campaigns.

Nasruddin and Faizul were referring to a Sinar Harian report that Facebook account 'Fikrah Islamiah Pilihan Kami' had uploaded a photograph of the three PAS Youth candidates, but had replaced contender Zulhazmi Shariff's picture with that of a dog.

However, the pictures of the other contenders, Suhaizan Kaiat and Kamaruzaman Mohamad, were not been changed. Suhaizan has been is tipped to win the post.

"If these liberal dogs succeed in controlling the party, then we will see more Islamic fighters facing the same fate as former PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa and former Selangor PAS commissioner Hasan Ali," the page was quoted as saying.

Malaysiakini'

s checks today showed that the doctored photograph is no longer on the-pro ulama Facebook page.

Zulhazmi told Malaysiakini that he has been contacted by the PAS secretary-general's office, and is leaving it to the party authorities to investigate the matter.