PAS-Umno cooperation hopefuls may be pink with delight when Umno president Najib Abdul Razak and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang shared the same stage at a conference today.

The duo dressed in matching pink baju Melayu were seated next to each other at the official opening of a conference for al-Azhar University alumni at the Grand Seasons Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Hadi was invited to give the keynote speech while Najib was to officially open at the event, which focuses on Muslim unity across regions and ideology.

This comes after Najib extended an olive branch to PAS at the 69th Umno annual general assembly last week.

Most conference officials also wore the same shade of pink, which appeared to be the theme colour for the event.

Both Hadi and Najib appeared to be at ease with each other, chatting to one another during Rabitah Antarabangsa Alumni al-Azhar Malaysia president Mohd Fahkrudin Abdul Mukti’s opening speech.

Malays will not become like Arabs

Hadi in his speech later expressed confidence that Malays will not become like the Arabs, where Muslims fight each other just because of differences in ideology.

“They fight with weapons given by the West and the East, whether by America, Russia or China.

“ InsyaAllah , Malays won’t be like the Arabs,” he said, to applause from the audience.

Muslims here may differ in opinion, but this will not lead to proxy wars, he said.

“(We must) avoid clashes due to differences in ideology,” he said.

Reminding the audience today that the colonial period is no longer in existence, Hadi urged everyone to "emancipate themselves".

“Islam should be interpreted in the constitution in accordance with the religion,” he said, to cries of takbir from the audience.

The PAS president is also of the opinion that Muslims should build their strength through groups.

Pointing out how they have Islamic scholars among themselves, Hadi said this meant that they do not need advisers from both the East and the West.

“We can learn from them, but we cannot take their advice,” he said.