Hardline opposition Islamic party PAS will embark on an ambitious "love" plan to convince sex workers nationwide to give up the sex trade, a report said Sunday.

Salehuddin Ayub, youth chief of the Islamic Party (PAS) said volunteers, or "ambassadors of love and relief", among the party's ranks would act as counsellors to spread the message.

PAS, which suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2004 polls, has embraced changes in an attempt to win votes ahead of a possible snap election.

The party recently lifted a ban on rock music as part of a campaign to win broader appeal in the multi-ethnic country.

PAS retained control of its northern stronghold state of Kelantan with the slimmest of majorities, but lost power in neighbouring Terengganu and was thumped in elections to the federal parliament.

Salehuddin said the counsellors will approach sex workers and try and persuade them to stop providing sexual services to men.

"We want our members to start thinking like statesman. They must not be seen as dogmatic and insular," he was quoted as saying by the Sunday Times newspaper.

Prostitution is banned in Malaysia and is a criminal offence.

Since 2004 until July this year, about 15,500 foreign women have been arrested for taking part in the trade. Most of them were from China, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.