KUALA LUMPUR: Umno will only consider working with PAS again if the latter mend their ways, says Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid said he was also the one who first began Muafakat Nasional.
The now-defunct Muafakat, which was widely known as a loose political pact between Umno and PAS, was formed in 2019.
It went sour after the latter joined Bersatu in the Perikatan Nasional collaboration
“If they mend their ways, then perhaps we can consider. If they stay the way they are, however, it's best to forget about it,” he told reporters here on Thursday (May 7).
Earlier, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang called on Umno to reflect and “return to the right path” after allegedly choosing the wrong political partners.
He said PAS and Umno were not very different in their fundamental Islamic struggle, although they differed in their interpretations and approaches.
He added that while both parties previously cooperated on issues involving Islam, Malay interests, and national security, Umno rejected PAS’s offer to work together after the 15th general election.
At the Umno general assembly earlier this year, Ahmad Zahid also said Umno wants to form a grand collaboration to unite all Malay Muslim political parties nationwide under one roof.
The Umno president stressed that it has no intention to topple the current unity government.
"The aim of this grand collaboration is to truly unite the spirit of Malay and Muslim parties within a larger framework,” he said.
He also said the sole purpose is to reflect Umno’s commitment to bring together all Muslim parties and advance the Malay and Islamic agenda.
