Opposition party PAS, which frowns upon rock concerts, will stage an all-male Islamic alternative event this weekend in a new attempt to woo Muslim youths, a report said today.

The "Alternative Entertainment Night" organised by the PAS Youth wing, at its headquarters in a Kuala Lumpur suburb on Saturday will only feature male performers including popular rockers from the local Blues Gang and rock musician-turned-preacher Mohamad Akil Hayy.

"It may not turn out to be a crowd puller but the objective is to prevent Muslim youths from being exposed to social ills," Youth chief Salahuddin Ayob told the New Straits Times .

Entertainment allowed but...

PAS, which aims to turn multicultural Malaysia into a theocratic state under Islamic rule, often slams western rock concerts as "immoral and un-Islamic" and last month protested at a concert by German rock band Scorpions.

Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia president Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman said providing alternative entertainment would constructively discourage Muslim youths from attending rock concerts.

"Islam has been portrayed as a religion which seems to forbid everything. We have to show that entertainment is allowed," he said.

The party is seeking to revive its support base after it was thumped by the ruling coalition in general elections in March when it also lost power in one of two states that it ruled.