Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's meet-the-people session in Kuching last night turned into a 'blast the opposition' gathering as he took the four parties in the Barisan Alternatif to task for lying to the people that they were capable of forming a government.

Mahathir said the opposition parties claimed they were a coalition when in actual fact they were merely "fantasising" about it as they were totally incompatible in their political ideologies unlike partners in the ruling Barisan Nasional which subscribed to similar struggles and principles.

"Each one of them only wants to wrest power from the other and to lie to each other. Their marriage has no basis, so today they have fallen apart," he said, referring to DAP's shock departure from the BA coalition on Saturday over the Islamic state controversy.

"We thought they would not come to Sarawak - they were already bashed up in the peninsula. But they are brave, they want to make it here as well," he told the 5,000-odd crowd, mostly Malays, at Petra Jaya's indoor stadium last night.

Mahathir was on a one-day visit to Kuching, Miri and Sibu to shore up support for BN in the state elections, where the coalition is hoping to win all 62 parliamentary seats on Thursday. It had already won four seats, unopposed, on nomination day last Tuesday.

The BN, led by caretaker Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has ruled the state for 20 years, is up against opposition parties DAP, Keadilan, PAS and State Reform Party (Star).

Also contesting are 45 Independents led by Abang Abu Bakar Mustapha, a former federal minister and ex-deputy chief in Taib's Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB). Keadilan is making its debut in the state elections.

Observers say the BN, which comprises PBB, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak, State National Party and Chinese-based Sarawak United People's Party, is going all out to keep the opposition from winning even one seat.

Gangsters from the peninsula

Mahathir added that PAS, DAP and Keadilan, which is attempting to make inroads into East Malaysian politics, only came to Sarawak to "create problems".

Along with them came violence and dirty tactics, and the use of gangster-like strategies to intimidate voters into voting for them, he added.

"I hope the people of Sarawak will not be easily frightened by these gangsters from the peninsula," said the veteran premier.

"Let this be the last time they contest in Sarawak. Give them a message that says their dirty culture is not wanted here," he added as the audience gave him a round of applause.

The long-serving leader slammed the opposition for having the gall to say that they wanted to "clean up" the government when they did not put up enough candidates to secure even one division.

"How can PAS govern with only three candidates?" queried Mahathir.

As for Keadilan, he said, the candidates are "made up of people who have been kicked out of other parties. They are rubbish collected from the roadside and from the drain".

"They are people who are disappointed because they do not have a place in BN," he added.

Mahathir also criticised the Independent candidates, saying they have "no other jobs to do" and were waiting to be offered money so that they can cross over to another party.

He said they were the kind of people who "only talk big" but do not have big plans like the BN.

Mahathir then chided DAP for going around fishing for sympathy and appealing to the people to give them "a little chance".

"We'll let the DAP keep its Rocket (party organ), where many lies are told. We'll also let PAS keep its Harakah , but there is no place for these two in the Dewan Rakyat," he said.

Religious extremists

The premier then went on to censure PAS for inciting religious extremists by harping on Malaysia being not being a real Islamic state.

He said party members went overseas and trained as terrorists who wanted to topple the government via militant means.

"When we detain these people without trial, we are said to be unjust," said Mahathir, adding that the international community criticised the government for its controversial Internal Security Act.

"Now they will say we have been right. These people who say we are wrong, they use it as well," he added, further saying that even the US had wanted to detain suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden - blamed for the attacks on World Trade Center and the Pentagon - without evidence.

"Today, these people will say that we are the most just," he jested.

However, Mahathir said, the use of the ISA was to safeguard the rakyat . He added "only the guilty should be detained, not those who did not do wrong".

As he was speaking about justice, Mahathir took a jibe at Keadilan. "Do not believe those who call their party 'Keadilan' (justice)".

"When others do wrong, they ask the government to take action but when their leaders do wrong, they say the government should not take action. This is their brand of justice," he added.

The PM did not spare Parti Rakyat Malaysia either. Mahathir said PRM is "now nowhere to be seen" as it is not contesting in Sarawak and has failed to win a single seat in the last general elections.