THE opposition is resorting to unethical tactics to work up the anger of voters in Sungai Panjang against the Barisan Nasional so that they will vote against it.

Selangor Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said a group, believed to be opposition campaign workers, had gone to the market there and told people that he (Khir) would be holding a kenduri on Monday at which he would give away aid.

He said he found out after several traders and shop owners called him to verify if it was true and the Barisan campaign workers were facing a tough time trying to explain to the people that it was all a scam.

"They did this because they know that I would be caught in a tight spot: if I turn the people away when they come on Monday, the voters will be angry, and if I give aid and hold the kenduri, the opposition will claim I'm trying to bribe voters," he told reporters after attending the closing ceremony of the anti-crime campaign at Kampung Batu 23, Sungai Nibong in Sungai Besar on Saturday.

He said he saw the unethical move by the opposition camp as a desperate attempt to woo voters after realising that most people in Sungai Panjang would vote for Barisan Nasional.

Khir said he did not believe that this would be the end of the use of such tactics by the opposition and was sure they would spring similar surprises as it got closer to polling day.

"They may even superimpose photographs of top leaders in embarrassing poses just to confuse voters in the hope of winning their support," he said.

He said he was not surprised that opposition party supporters resorted to such tactics as PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had made the misguided claim that character assassination was not against Islam.

"Nowhere in the Quran or in the teachings of the prophet does it say that character assassination or personal attacks are acceptable but the PAS leaders have made it alright and the supporters are now using these tactics," he said.

Dr Khir said PAS supporters had also been distributing political pamphlets at mosques around Sungai Panjang even though the state government had announced last year that mosques could not be used for political activities.

He said the state government policy did not just apply to the opposition and even the Barisan Nasional candidates had been given strict warnings to keep politics out of mosques.

Khir later met MCA supporters at the Xian Fa Shigong Temple in Bagan Sekinchan, where he officiated at a ground-breaking ceremony for a new temple hall.