PAS-UMNO relationship is still good - Ismail Sabri

KUALA LUMPUR: The relationship between PAS and UMNO at the grassroots level and the top leadership is still good, said UMNO Vice President, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The statement was made after PAS' decision to continue its cooperation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in facing the 15th General Election (GE15).

"Cooperation (with PAS) will run as usual at the branch and division level. I believe in the month of Ramadan, there will be many joint programs, religious programs.

"The programs has been set and I believe it will continue. In fact, grassroots and top-level relationships are still the same.

“No issues,” he said in a press conference after attending the The Outstanding Service Award Ceremony and Service Medal and Distinguished Personality of the Ministry of Defence Year 2021 here on Thursday.

When asked about the status of Muafakat Nasional (MN) and the decision of PAS, Ismail Sabri stressed that both parties may hold a meeting in the near future.

"Usually, we hold a joint meeting every two weeks, namely UMNO and PAS. Maybe after this, we will discuss and bring up matters related to this relationship.

"But so far, the fourth or fifth proposal in the recent PAU, the proposal is to strengthen cooperation with PAS in MN," he said.

Astro AWANI on Wednesday reported that PAS and Bersatu agreed to continue cooperation to face GE15.

Both parties stressed that they also rejected any form of 'new alignment' to form a post-GE15 government, especially involving Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its allies.

Bersatu and PAS will also set up a Meeting Committee at the central level to formulate the party's strategy and direction to face GE15, including seat distribution negotiations.