PAS Youth today threatened the Barisan Nasional government with legal action should it fail to stop a political broadcast in the national language during prime-time news on state-run and private television channels.

The 90-second clip basically showed examples of how the Muslim opposition party has been infringing on women's rights, touched on the worrying trend of Islamic militancy and suggested that PAS may behave like the repressive Afghan-Taliban rulers should it come into power.

PAS Youth chief Mahfuz Omar said it was "embarrassing" that the ruling BN coalition failed to distinguish between its information bureau and the information ministry under the government.

"It seems like BN had mistaken the state apparatuses for their own possession, though it is only chosen to be the government for a certain period of time," he said in a statement.

He said Information Minister Khalil Yaakob who is also Umno's secretary-general may have crossed the line between his duties to the party and the cabinet, thus leading the abuse of the state-run television channels.

Mahfuz, who is also the member of parliament for Pokok Sena, said the ministry should stop the broadcast immediately and apologise to the people for running the smear campaign.

He added that should the government fail to do so, "PAS will not hesitate to take legal action against those who are involved".

The broadcast has been shown in between items on TV1 and TV2 prime-time news starting early last week. It is also currently shown on TV3 which is owned by individuals closely linked to Umno.

Opposition leaders have criticised the video-clip as government propaganda in the run-up for the upcoming Jan 19 by-election in Indera Kayangan.

But Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung defended the broadcast, saying that it was "general information and a news item to the public".

'Jam TV stations'

In another statement today, DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang called on Malaysians to express their disgust and outrage over the political broadcast as it will be translated into Chinese and shown with greater frequency.

"(They should express disgust)... by jamming the television stations with protests via phone, e-mail and other avenues," he said.

He stressed that the broadcast was a clear instance of the BN government misusing public resources and facilities which are treated like "their private properties".

However, Lim said the political broadcast can be allowed on several conditions — that it is identified as a political commercial which is paid for by the BN and that the same facility is extended to the opposition front.

He also called on BN candidate for the Indera Kayangan by-election, former headmistress Oui Ah Lan fielded by MCA, to tell her leaders at the federal level that the voters would want to see fair play.

"If the voters can strike a blow for a more level playing field for the political arena, they would have already done the country and the people a great favour and service — regardless of who they vote for on Jan 19," he said.