PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has hit back at Dr Mahathir Mohamad's claim that a vote for PAS is a vote for BN.

Speaking to Sinar Harian, the Islamist party president retorted that a vote for Pakatan Harapan is a vote for Mahathir's cruelty.

"Mahathir should repent because he caused the decay of national systems, reducing the rights and powers of Malay-Muslims and the Conference of Rulers, practising a skewed democracy and ruling the country as a dictator.

"He hasn't admitted to all these wrongs and has not apologised to the victims, and in fact defends his wrongdoings.This shows that he is not sincere in saving Malaysia.

"All he wants is to topple Najib. The fact is, voting for DAP, PKR, Amanah or Bersatu is a vote and affirmation (of) Mahathir's cruelty," Hadi said.

Mahathir, who is Harapan chairperson, has urged his critics to move on from the past and focus on the future instead.

However, he has apologised for curtailing the power of the Malay rulers during his time as prime minister.

Hadi and Mahathir fell on opposite ends after Bersatu failed to work out an alliance with PAS.

PAS has refused to work with Bersatu due to its alliance with Amanah and DAP.

Meanwhile, on PAS ties with Umno, Hadi reiterated that party's stance that they will only work with the ruling-Malay party on what is good for the Malays and Islam.

"With Umno-BN we take the approach of ta'awun, that is supporting what is good and positive for Islam and Malays, while opposing what is negative and wrong and is disadvantageous to the country and the people," he said.

Among the BN agenda which PAS is opposed to, he said, includes the goods and services tax (GST), the now-defunct Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

He also said that in the next election, PAS, together with its Gagasan Sejahtera coalition, will face both BN and Harapan.