KOTA BARU, Malaysia, Sept 10 (AFP) - The spiritual leader of Malaysia's Islamic opposition party Monday assured the minority Chinese community of religious tolerance if his party came to power, but warned of a crackdown on casinos.
Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, the revered spiritual chief of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and chief minister of Kelantan state, reiterated that Malaysia's sole casino in the Genting Highlands must be shut down, saying gambling joints were "nests for vice."
But he told a meeting with some 300 visiting Chinese members of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) -- PAS's ally in an opposition coalition -- that the community had nothing to fear from his party's aim for an Islamic state.
"Gambling only benefits the owner. We cannot defend one man's interest but we must protect the well-being of the majority," he said in reply to a question.
The Genting casino near the capital Kuala Lumpur is Chinese-owned and is a popular resort for Chinese people. The visiting delegation was from the casino's home state, Pahang.
"When people start to gamble, they leave their families at home, start drinking and womanising and this leads to adultery. Who would want this to befall them?" he asked.
"There is no tragedy in setting up an Islamic state... Kelantan is an example of an Islamic state. We live peacefully, there are no heavy taxes on the people, no corruption and it is easy to do business."
PAS rose to prominence in 1999 general elections when it also won Terengganu state neighbouring Kelantan and increased its parliamentary seats, at the expense of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
It is growing in influence in Pahang and some other northern states ahead of the next general elections which must be called by 2004.
Nik Abdul Aziz told reporters later that PAS, if it came to power in Pahang or nationally, would give Genting's owners about six months to a year to close.
Gambling is already banned in Kelantan and Terengganu.
PAS's Islamic goals have been criticised as extreme not only by Mahathir's government but also by its Chinese-based ally, the DAP, which has threatened to break ties with PAS by quitting a two-year-old opposition alliance.
The DAP wants PAS to spell out clearly its Islamic state policy to avoid losing votes of Chinese and other minority groups.
Nik Abdul Aziz said UMNO had played up Chinese fears of an Islamic state and strict Islamic criminal laws which prescribe amputation of hands for theft and stoning to death for adultery.
He said UMNO disliked such laws because it "steals from the banks", citing rising cases of bailouts for troubled companies linked to the government such as the Renong group, Malaysia Airlines and two light rail transit firms.
"Bailout is robbing from the people although not directly but through the banks... those who protect our society are all fellow thieves, so of course they don't like it because their hands would have to be cut off," he said.
The chief minister said Chinese groups were now constantly brought to Kelantan to witness PAS's tolerance of other religions and culture.
"We must not be deceived by UMNO's lies of Islamic extremism," he told the crowd, saying a PAS Islamic state centred on the well-being of the family and helping the poor regardless of race.
"We don't teach people to kill the Chinese or steal from them. The Chinese in Kelantan are not worried at all, they are safe here."
The 70-year-old spiritual leader said PAS's brand of true Islam did not discriminate between races but saw all as "brothers" and would help all the poor.
A controversial move to implement Islamic laws failed after it passed the Kelantan state assembly in 1993 but was later vetoed by the federal government.
A member of the Chinese delegation, Lee Sing Poh, said he was unfazed by PAS's Islamic goal as they could always be voted out again if things became unfavourable for the community.
"The mainstream newspapers all depict PAS as evil but I find they have good virtues and they do not force Islam on us," said Lee, 62.