Some quarters in PAS are moving to prevent the possibility of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim playing a major role in the opposition front, according to sources.

The move is said to be led by deputy president Hassan Shukri who has allegedly based his objection on the Federal Court's judgment when quashing Anwar's sodomy conviction last month.

Sources said Hassan had told a gathering in Kepala Batas on Sept 26 that Anwar would not be a suitable leader because the court had implicated him in homosexual activities.

He was purported to have said: "We should not act too hastily in the Anwar issue because, if one scrutinises the (judgment involving) Anwar, he is still guilty of sodomy.

"The only thing is that there was doubt over the dates of the (alleged) offences. If the court takes further action, PAS would be humiliated."

Contacted today, however, Hassan denied making any such statement on Anwar during the gathering with members of PAS Youth .

"A member of the floor asked me about Anwar and I told that we should not be too hasty as the man was still sick then. I also pointed out that the law does not permit him to hold any political post (until April 2008). That's all. I did not touch on anything else," he said.

Asked if he disagreed with the party's decision to make Anwar the opposition leader, he said: "I don't want to comment on that. The party has its ways of making decisions and I will adhere to them."

Since Anwar's release from prison, party leaders like president Abdul Hadi Awang and deputy mursyidul am (spiritual leader) Dr Haron Din have been making overtures to him to play a major role in opposition politics, possibly in an advisory role in Barisan Alternatif (BA).

PAS is a leading member of the opposition coalition.

Open challenge?

However, a PAS supporter insisted that Hassan had made the statement at the meeting in Kepala Batas.

"Some were taken aback by what he said. We thought that it was highly inappropriate for an ustaz (religious teacher) like him to make such accusations. After all in Islam, you need four witnesses to prove any allegations of a sex-related crime," he said.

"It was almost as if he was openly challenging the stand of the top leaders to work closely with Anwar," he added.

A Selangor-based politician said he would not be surprised if Hassan had made the remarks about Anwar, saying that similar statements had been made during the political bureau meetings.

"He has made it clear that he does not like all the attention the party has given to Anwar. He is one of the old guard that would love to think that Anwar was not the factor behind our success in the 1999 general election," he said.

PAS vice-chief Azizan Abdul Razak, who is also a member of the political bureau, denied that anyone had openly made anti-Anwar statements at previous bureau meetings.

"Who told you that? If it was someone from the meeting, then it is most unethical. We discuss a lot of things at the meetings, including about Anwar, but nothing like you suggested," he said when contacted.

He said rumours could have been started by pranksters who "want to create more disharmony and factions within the party".

"Between 1998 and 1999, many of our leaders and members suffered police beatings and were drenched in chemical-laced water (from water cannon) for protesting the unfair treatment of Anwar and the unfair accusations (of homosexuality). Why would we suddenly change our stand on this now?"

Sharing his sentiment was another vice-chief Mustafa Ali, who said there is little room for anyone to doubt to Anwar's credibility - either personally or professionally.

"I don't know about others, but I have never believed the allegations that Anwar is a homosexual. We all know his personality and the allegations do not make sense," he said.

"When the (sodomy) trial was being heard, some weak evidence only confirmed the suspicion that the accusations were nothing but a political conspiracy."

Power-sharing formula

Asked about the move to undermine party leaders' efforts to work with Anwar in the opposition coalition, Mustafa expressed surprise this was even happening.

"Even back in 1998, then president, Fadzil Noor said Anwar would be elected as prime minister if the opposition had won. We maintain that pledge and there is no reason for us to depart from it."

He said the country's plural society would make it impossible for a single party to succeed in a general election.

"Power-sharing is the only way to go in Malaysia which is why it is important for PAS to work with other parties with similar causes. Even Umno could not have succeeded without the Barisan Nasional coalition," he said.

"With Anwar, I believe an effective one-on-one election strategy can be adopted to help strengthen the BA.

Azizan said it was too early to discuss Anwar's role in the opposition front.

"For one thing, Anwar is still unclear as to the direction he intends to take (in politics). Even if he knows, he has yet to tell us. If he is with the opposition, then we welcome him with open arms," he said.

"Secondly Anwar can only be active in politics in four years. In politics anything can happen within that time. Anwar is a great politician and full of ambition, too. So he will decide on what is best for him.

"Who knows, Pak Lah (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) may face problems in keeping the support of Umno members and may offer Anwar a place in his camp."

He said that, while the current PAS leadership is in favour of Anwar leading the opposition front, the party's long-term stand on this is still not certain.

"By 2008, three party elections would have been held. Abdul Hadi, or Haron or I may not be here any more. The new leadership may have a change of heart by then. So like I said, all this talk is very premature."

In previous interviews, Anwar had said he had no intention of re-joining Umno from which he was sacked in 1998.

At the recent Umno general assembly, delegates had backed their leaders' stance that the doors of the party would not be opened to Anwar.