Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he had never instructed Umno Youth to take aggressive action against PAS Youth members.

bagan pinang by election nomination 031009 muhyiddin yasin He said allegations that he had issued such an instruction was psychological warfare on the part of PAS as the party was under severe pressure knowing it would lose in the Bagan Pinang by-election on Sunday.

"I deny having instructed Umno Youth members to confront members of PAS Youth," he told reporters in Seremban late last night.

He said this in commenting on a SMS message that was being spread asking Umno Youth members from throughout the country to come down to Bagan Pinang to take on PAS Youth members to defend Umno's reputation.

The truth was, it was the head of PAS Youth who issued an instruction calling for a "jihad" (holy war") in Bagan Pinang, Muhyiddin said.

"Clearly this is instigating its members to create disturbances in Bagan Pinang," he said, adding that he hoped the authorities would view seriously statements to the effect made by PAS Youth head Nasarudin Hasan in order to preserve the peace Bagan Pinang.

Meanwhile, Port Dickson police chief Supt Mazlan Othman said police were closely monitoring the situation and would not hesitate to act against anyone who tried to create disturbances in Bagan Pinang.

He gave the assurance that police had the security situation in Bagan Pinang under control and that voters need not worry about participating in the by-election in the state constituency on Sunday.

He added that claims by PAS that one of the party's members was injured after being assaulted, allegedly by Barisan Nasional supporters, could not be confirmed as no police report had been lodged yet.

- Bernama