SERI SETIA POLLS | Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has hailed the Seri Setia by-election as the start for closer cooperation between his party and PAS.

This was after an Umno delegation turned up in support of PAS during the nomination for the by-election yesterday, even though Umno the former is sitting out the contest.

"History was made when Umno and PAS, for the first time since 1978, joined together to accompany the PAS candidate Dr Halimah Ali for the nomination of the Seri Setia by-election.

"May this political consensus be the starting point of a stronger political cooperation for two of the largest parties that represent Malay Muslims in Malaysia," he said in a Facebook posting.

Asyraf said the political consensus was based on the struggle to defend the position of Islam and Malays.

However, he stressed that this did not mean dominating or denying the rights of other races and religions.

The Sri Setia by-election will see a contest between Halimah and Pakatan Harapan's Halimey Abu Bakar.

Umno, which had traditionally contested the seat, decided to make way for PAS.

The seat fell vacant after Harapan's incumbent Shaharuddin Badaruddin passed away from cancer.