PAS Youth today reached out to the peace offering by Umno president Najib Abdul Razak, who proposed cooperation between the nation’s largest Malay-based parties.
Youth chief Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz said the offer of cooperation marks a new page in Malaysian politics, which will benefit the Muslim community.
“We accept the prime minister's offer because previously anything that was proposed by the opposition was rejected wholesale by those in power.
“We welcome the call for closer ties on condition that the cooperation is based on religious values as religion is a core part of Malaysian life.
“So we support what the government wants to implement as long as it is for the greater good,” he is reported by Utusan Malaysia as saying.
Nik Abduh, who is the son of the late PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, said PAS has already agreed with Umno on various issues, including its stand against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
However, he said, this does not mean PAS is forming a new political bloc with Umno.
He said PAS will remain a federal opposition party.
Najib in his policy speech at the Umno annual general assembly last week proposed cooperation with PAS, so nation-building can be done the Islamic way.
On a related matter, Nik Abduh told Sinar Harian that other parties are interested to join the pact between PAS and PKR.
He, however, declined to elaborate.
“Yes, I do not deny that there are parties interested in our partnership. It is still in discussion stages and is not something new,” he reportedly said.
PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah earlier hinted that there are ongoing discussions with other parties keen to join the partnership.
PKR has a pact with PAS, despite also being a member of the tripartite Pakatan Harapan.
Pakatan Harapan consists of DAP, PKR and PAS splinter party Parti Amanah Negara.
It formed after the pact between PAS, DAP and PKR - Pakatan Rakyat - broke up over PAS and DAP's disagreement over the implementation of hudud.
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