Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today said that he has not received any letter from PAS requesting for 'peace talks', said to be an attempt to reconcile with the its rival party Umno.

"Maybe my officers have received the letter but I have not seen it," said Abdullah at a press conference after officiating the Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's annual delegates' conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The Star daily today reported that PAS president Fadzil Noor had sent a letter seeking an "immediate" meeting with Umno's deputy president Abdullah over several issues.

These issues were said to likely include the blanket ban on public ceramah (political talks), the alleged involvement of PAS members in a militant Islamic group, and the sales ban of CDs and VCDs with political content.

The report also said that the new round of meetings could revive the unity talks which has failed to materialise to date since it was first proposed by Umno early this year.

Umno had repeatedly rejected PAS' conditions for the talks to be held, among others, to reinstate the Trengganu oil royalty and the bi-weekly publication of the party organ, Harakah .

The deputy premier, who is also home affairs minister, said he welcomed any effort to promote national unity which could benefit the country, even if it is from the opposition party.

However, he declined to comment on whether the move by PAS was meant to distract the public from its bickering with the Chinese-based DAP party over the issue of Islamic state.

He also refused to state if Umno would set any conditions before the proposed talk takes place.

Ban on 'ceramah'

When contacted by malaysiakini , PAS president Fadzil Noor said the urgent meeting which his party has sought was to discuss the recent ban on public ceramah and not a wide range of issues as reported in the newspapers.

He also denied that the proposed meeting was related to the proposed unity talks.

Meanwhile, PAS organising secretary Abdul Rahim Saidin confirmed that a letter dated Aug 15, signed by PAS secretary-general Nasharudin Mat Isa, had been sent by the party to Umno yesterday by courier service.

Abdul Rahim said the letter did not specify the issues to be discussed at the proposed meeting but added that they are in relation to the "current political development" in this country.

Political gathering

Police had recently arrested 10 people, seven of whom were PAS members, under the controversial Internal Security Act.

The 10 were alleged to have been involved in the Malaysian Mujahideen Group (KMM) which was said to be responsible for several bank robberies, the assassination of a political figure from the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, and the bombing of a church and a temple.

Since last month, police have also arrested not less than 50 PAS members who defied the new ruling of banning public ceramah and went ahead with their plans of organising political gatherings in open air.

These were met with strong objections from civil groups and opposition parties who claimed that it was a move to silence the dissidents. However, the accusation was refuted by police who insisted that the arrests were done for national security reasons.