(AFP) Opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) will soon make a rare appointment of a Chinese Muslim to the party's executive body, an official said today.

Mahfuz Omar, youth wing chief said that the decision was made yesterday and is aimed to highlight the sensitivities of the Chinese community and a step towards fostering closer ties with non-Muslims.

The party wishes to "understand the culture and needs of the Chinese community", he said.

"This proves that PAS is a multi-racial party concerned with the welfare of all races," he said, adding that the candidate is Chinese Muslim convert. Only Muslims qualify to be PAS members.

Mahfuz said that the candidate, who is a party member, will be announced by the end of the week, adding that it was the first time a Chinese Muslim is appointed to the Central Working Committee.

Key party

PAS is a key party in the opposition Barisan Alternatif alliance, along with Keadilan, headed by wife of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, the Chinese dominated Democratic Action Party and the smaller Malaysian People's Party.

Following Anwar's sacking and jailing, the apparent loss of Malay support for the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, showed in the 1999 general elections where PAS more than tripled its parliamentary seats to 27.

BN depended heavily on Chinese votes to retain its two-thirds majority in 1999 general elections amid erosion of traditional Malay support.

PAS managed to retain control of the northeastern state of Kelantan and also won control of the neighbouring oil rich Terengganu state.

Opposition leader and PAS president Fadzil Noor had told reporters it is "not impossible" for the Barisan Alternatif to win the next elections which must be called by 2004.