One of the imams behind Wednesday's call for Muslims not to vote for the Liberal Party says the current political climate has forced them to take a stand.

Key points: WA Liberals to direct preferences to One Nation in the Upper House

WA Liberals to direct preferences to One Nation in the Upper House Six imams recommend Muslims vote Greens

Six imams recommend Muslims vote Greens Muslim and Greens candidate says Pauline Hanson views still as extreme as 20 years ago

"We are by and large apolitical — that is the imams — we don't really get involved in politics," Sheikh Mohammed Shakeeb told 7.30.

"[But] due to the recent rise of political parties that advocate the politics of racism, division and hatred, we thought it was in our best interests to take this stance."

In a handout to voters, the imams have urged followers to vote for the Greens, saying: "If you vote Liberal, you will effectively be voting One Nation into Parliament."

"You will have … our kids growing up in a society which will be divided because of all the hate speech which comes with the policies of this particular party," Sheikh Shakeeb said.

The Muslim leaders' intervention could prove critical in seats in Perth's outer suburbs with high Muslim populations, including Southern River.

There, the sitting member, Peter Abetz, is being challenged by Australian-born Toni Pikos-Sallie, who converted to Islam when she was a university student and is now standing for the Greens.

The mother of five is the deputy principal of an Islamic school in Perth and got the support of several Perth imams some time ago.

She is not surprised that the leaders are now actively encouraging their followers to vote for the Greens because, she said, it was the only party that had strongly denounced Pauline Hanson's polices.

Hanson just picking on different people: Greens candidate

Ms Pikos-Sallie dismissed Colin Barnett's suggestion that One Nation was less extreme that it was 20 years ago.

"Rubbish - that's absolute rubbish," she said.

"What is less extreme about what Pauline Hanson is saying today than 20 years ago?

"She's coming out with the same extreme sensationalising type of rhetoric that she's done in the past - except she's picking on different people."

WA Greens candidate Toni Pikos-Sallie ( ABC News )

Muslims make up about 4 per cent of the electorate of Southern River.

Mr Abetz acknowledged that the imams' directive against the Liberal Party did not help his chances of retaining his seat.

"It's not good for me, that's for sure," he told 7.30.

"But I think the Muslim community I've got a grassroots connection with, many of the Muslims in my community I've got a very positive relationship [with].

"Just this morning when I was out, a young Muslim man came up to me and he actually apologised to me for the statement that the imams put out."

Mr Abetz said he did not get involved in preference deals.

"My focus is in my electorate," he said.

"Just because you put one party slightly higher than another, it doesn't mean you endorse all their polices ... with any party."

Burka not an electoral issue — or is it?

A former pastor with the Christian Reformed Churches, Mr Abetz has held this seat for the Liberals since 2008 but now he is in trouble with polls showing a big swing to Labor.

When it comes to One Nation's policies, he does not believe the burka should be banned, but has described the garment as being "contrary to Australian culture".

"Let me put it this way, if you go to a country where short skirts are frowned upon and then to go and wear short skirts is contrary to their culture," he said.

"And I think that's just something that any immigrant group that comes into a country learns to figure those things out, and I think the Muslim community is doing that quite well.

"The burka in my electorate is a total non-issue."

Peter Abetz (l) with Colin Barnett (c) and Nick Goiran (r) campaigning in the electorate of Southern River. ( ABC News: David Weber )

That is a point Ms Pikos-Sallie, who wears a headscarf, contested.

"Some people would say that what I'm wearing is oppressive," she told 7.30.

"I have people make remarks all the time - aren't you hot in that and so on and so forth.

"I think I'm educated and old enough to know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.

"I think it's an insult really for people to suggest otherwise ... but in any case curiosity is fine and if you are genuinely concerned about Muslim women, then talk to them."

Ms Pikos-Sallie said she was worried about the dynamics of the campaign so far and its impact on the younger generation.

"My daughter is 19 and she wears a headscarf like myself," she said.

"She has been out walking the shops or whatever and she's been screamed at — in fact somebody slowed down the car the other day and pretended to shoot her.

"She said, you know Mum, I don't want to go out, I don't want to walk down the street, it's frightening.

"So that's the reality of a young Muslim today in Australia."