PAS has shown encouraging signs of possible collaboration with Umno as seen from some of their actions in supporting Umno, said Umno president Najib Abdul Razak.

Najib, who is also the prime minister said, one of the positive signals was when PAS did not reject the Supply Bill 2016 at the Dewan Rakyat on Nov 16 which was an encouraging sign towards cooperation between the two Malay parties.

"In voting for the budget, they abstained from voting against the budget.

Although they did not vote in our favour, they did not reject it either. These are encouraging signs to me," he said in an interview with TV3 tonight.

He believed this was in keeping with PAS' Islamic principles which forbade any action to topple a government in a way which was not allowed by Islam.

"This includes street demonstrations and so on. So what was voiced by PAS leaders was in line with the principles of Islam," he said.

During the vote on the Supply Bill in November, six PAS members abstained from voting in Parliament.

Four other PAS members of Parliament, including PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang did not attend the afternoon session of Parliament that day.

Najib added that statements made by Abdul Hadi and spiritual leader Dr Haron Din had also shown positive signs towards a collaboration.

Abdul Hadi had on several occasions been seen to be supporting Umno, among them in not rejecting the cabinet reshuffle last July and in supporting Najib to not succumb to pressure to resign as prime minister.

- Bernama