Not too long ago while in Kuala Terengganu, I observed to an angler that it was rare to see women take up the laidback sport of recreational fishing. Walk along the beach and you'd see altogether only the men blissfully casting their lines into the water.

Predictably, the angler replied that a woman's place was in the home. To that, I pointed out the fact of women today engaging in rough-and-tough careers like those in the police force and army, or taking part in extreme sports. " Itu semua perempuan jahat "(Those are bad women), was his rejoinder.

If the man had been a PAS leader whose remarks were carried in the Cronesian media, he'd have a score of based-in-KL women's groups braying for his blood. He'd also have a horde of spin doctors playing up the Islamic fundamentalist 'fear factor' - for the benefit of their political masters the Barisan Nasional (BN) - all pushing the sub-text: 'Are you scared yet?'

But the man was no politician, only your regular Joe satisfied with PAS' governance of his state. Looking out to the awesome but serene seascape before us, I had an inkling as to why one would not care to swap his simple, God-fearing life for the perceived impiety in the Umno-controlled states.

Take for example, Selangor, the most developed state on the west coast, which has a hallowed tradition. Its Umno chief ministers have been jailed for corruption (Harun Idris), stopped by Australian Customs for carrying millions in cash in a suitcase (Muhammad Muhd Taib, [later cleared by a court]) and accused by the opposition of abuse of power for financial gain (Dr Mohd Khir Toyo).