PAS top leaders today agreed after a four-hour meeting which went way past midnight to consolidate their ranks and play a more active role in opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

They also vowed that the issue of forming a unity government with Umno is closed forever and that they will remain loyal to Pakatan.

More importantly, the leaders also took note of the concerns raised by their spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat and agreed to work together to overcome these problems.

In the course of the meeting, the leaders also resolved not hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) as demanded by Nik Aziz to discuss issues which had plagued the party.

Instead, the party will hold a seminar to explain to its members on how the party can move forward by working in unison, not just among themselves but also with their partners in Pakatan - PKR and DAP.

These were revealed to the media in a brief press conference immediately after the meeting by party president Abdul Hadi Awang, who was accompanied by secretary-general Mustafa Ali and vice-president Salahuddin Ayub.

"After much deliberation, we have agreed to, first, work towards

strengthening Pakatan Rakyat and for PAS to play a more active role in the coalition," added Hadi.

"We also agreed that there will not be an EGM and that it be replaced with a political seminar that will be attended party delegates from throughout the country to discuss ways to strengthen PAS," added Hadi.

Salahuddin has been put in charge of the seminar, which will be held on Nov 7.

Late night meeting

Earlier the party's top leaders met since 9pm at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The special meeting was attended by all committee members and state commissioners, except for Mohamed Sabu and Hatta Ramli who were believed to be overseas.

The meeting was specifically called to discuss if there should be an EGM as proposed by Nik Aziz to obtain consensus from the grassroots on certain issues which continue to haunt the party.

These include the status of leaders described as "problematic", whom Nik Aziz had named - vice-president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, secretary-general Mustafa Ali and Selangor commissioner Hasan Ali, all of whom aligned to party president Hadi.

The special meeting today was called by Hadi and was attended by 45 PAS central committee members and state commissioners.

"Tonight we convened a special meeting to discuss the issues mentioned by the spiritual leader as well individual comments about the direction of PAS after the Bagan Pinang by-election," confirmed Hadi at the press conference.

Under the party constitution, an EGM can be called only by the president or when there is a written request from one-third of the central committee members or one-third of the divisions.

However even before the meeting, it was clear that the party leadership did not prefer an EGM to sort out its internal crisis, but would rather try to settle all outstanding issues through discussions.

Disciplinary committee to probe S'gor PAS

At the meeting, the leaders had also discussed the problems in Selangor PAS which is led by Hasan and had tasked the party's disciplinary committee headed by Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man to investigate the matter.

"We will investigate only Selangor. It was a unanimous decision to do so. The disciplinary committee is not often called upon because PAS don't often have problems," said Hadi.

"We will investigate based on Tok Guru's opinions," he added.

Asked if Nik Aziz was satisfied with the explanation given to the issues he had raised," Hadi said: "Yes."

Earlier, Nik Aziz and Hadi posed for media cameras before entering the meeting room. They both smiled and shook hands.

The three PAS leaders openly criticised by Nik Aziz are Hadi loyalists.

Hadi's faction has been open in holding unity talks with arch enemy Umno, a move which has been vehemently opposed by Nik Aziz and a group of young leaders who are the spiritual leader's firm backers.

However, Hadi said yesterday that the idea of holding unity talks with Umno had been dropped .

Nik Aziz left before the meeting ended without speaking to waiting journalists.