KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S opposition Islamic party leaders are holding unity talks with the prime minister, opening new rifts within an opposition alliance trying to contain fallout from the Anwar Ibrahim scandal.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the leader of the opposition Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) admitted this week that both sides had been meeting quietly over Islam and Malay unity.

The surprise talks between the bitter political rivals in the aftermath of the watershed March polls have far-reaching implications that could alter the country's political landscape.

'While this could very well turn into another exercise in futility to mend forces, it is highly significant that what would have been impossible just a few months ago did not occur in a vacuum,' the pro-government New Straits Times said on Tuesday.

'The direct dialogue between the top party leaders has been prompted by the increasing unease within PAS about its association with its unusual partners in the Pakatan Rakyat,' it added.

The opposition Pakatan Rakyat - a loose alliance of PAS, a Chinese-based party and Mr Anwar's multi-racial group - won a record 82 seats in the 222-seat parliament in the March polls.

It denied the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition the crucial two-thirds majority in parliament for the first in 40 years and seized control of five of 13 states for the first time ever.

Mr Anwar, who says Pakatan needed just 30 seats through defections to win a simple majority and form the government, is facing a sodomy allegation that could derail his plan.

PAS's return to the 14-party Barisan Nasional's fold will help the ruling coalition regain its 2/3 majority in parliament and recapture at least three of the five opposition-ruled states.

Kingmaker?
'PAS could end up as the kingmaker, delivering both UMNO and Abdullah from their current 'funk',' political analyst and columnist Karim Raslan wrote in The Star newspaper on Tuesday.

The Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) was naturally alarmed by the prospects of PAS-UMNO union.

DAP chairman Karpal Singh said any talks between UMNO and PAS need to be endorsed by Pakatan. 'I think a matter like this has far-reaching consequences and should be agreed upon first.' Both Mr Abdullah's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and PAS represent the majority ethnic Malays, who by definition are Muslims.

'I think PAS and UMNO can come back together again,' said Ms Rita Sim, deputy head of a think-tank linked to the Malaysian Chinese Association, a Barisan member. '(Mr Anwar's) Parti Keadilan Rakyat does not have as much Malay support as they claim.' Mr Anwar has dismissed sodomy allegation as part of a high-level conspiracy to thwart the opposition's rise. The police have freed him on bail and have not pressed sodomy charges against him.

'It's arguable that the Malay community is also starting to believe the accusation against Anwar,' the Star on Tuesday quoted PAS deputy chief Nasharudin Mat Isa as saying. 'His delay in taking an oath to swear on the Koran is also an issue.' Mr Abdullah disclosed at the weekend that he had held three meetings with several PAS leaders since the March elections.

Both sides gave no details of the meeting, which has drawn criticism from PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

Mr Nik Aziz said he feared PAS, the country's third-largest political party with 800,000 members, could fall into the UMNO trap. PAS joined Barisan in 1974 and left the bloc in 1977.

A PAS leader who joined the talks was quoted on Tuesday as saying it was not about PAS joining UMNO or vice-versa.

'Despite the political overtones, it was clearly about Islam and current Islamic issues, the Malays and national unity,' Mr Khalid Samad said.

But an aide to Mr Nik Aziz said the spiritual leader was very wary about UMNO's intention."Once bitten, twice shy,' the aide said. 'He is very cautious, we don't want to be a tool of UMNO.'