KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN activists have threatened to stage a naked protest over a sudden hike in rental rates for government housing, drawing criticism from Muslim leaders and police on Tuesday.

Mr Ramlan Abu Bakar of the Malaysian People's Reform Movement said its members were prepared to strip off outside the offices of the chief minister of Selangor state, after it more than doubled the cost of low-income housing.

'Protesting naked is our final act of desperation as the state government is literally stealing the clothes off our backs with this price increase,' Mr Ramlan told AFP.

'They are not helping the poor people here who barely make enough to afford the present rental of 124 ringgit (S$52.50 per month) so how can we afford to pay 250 ringgit?' he said.

The hardline Islamic party PAS, which is part of the opposition alliance, criticised the plans, with its spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat saying only 'uncivilised' people would resort to such an act.

'Even an animal like a cow which is stark naked, God created a tail to hide its genitals and here we are talking about human beings who have been given a mind,' he told state news agency Bernama.

Mr Ramlan said his group would submit a memorandum to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, whose alliance runs Selangor state, and that if it failed to bring about any change they will push ahead with the nude protest.

State police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said action will be taken against anyone staging an illegal assembly.

'We will take firm action against any NGO (non-governmental organisation) that holds a gathering without a permit, and even more so if they are nude,' he told Bernama. -- AFP