At a press conference, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said the party would prefer if PAS, a Perikatan Nasional component, was with them in GE15.

“It is PAS that will decide if they are with us or otherwise,” he said.

He said the question of Umno being afraid to face PAS did not arise, though there were benefits in them working together, particularly in securing victory in Malay-majority constituencies.

Many Umno leaders have spoken of their desire to continue working with PAS through the Muafakat Nasional pact that the two parties formed during the Pakatan Harapan-era.

This is despite PAS being a member of the PPBM-led Perikatan Nasional coalition.

Some, like Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, however feel Umno should oppose PAS, a party he describes as a “political prostitute”, in the next general election.

On whether PAS could play peacemaker between Umno and PPBM, Mohamad said they were welcome to try.

“They can try. We will see what is the formula (PAS proposes),” he said at a press conference after delivering a speech at the Umno annual general assembly.

It was previously reported that nearly three-quarters of the 191 Umno divisions had called for the party to withdraw its cooperation with PPBM.

This is the key agenda that will be discussed at the AGM.

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