The responses from Pakatan Harapan leaders to speculation of a partnership between PAS and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is like “a dog afraid of its own shadow”, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said.

He said this in reference to PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution’s statement yesterday that the Harapan coalition was stable and did not need PAS to join as a component party.

Takiyuddin said Saifuddin's statement was full of worry and anxiety.

“His (Saifuddin's) statement... shows that the position of Harapan is unstable and in the crisis among its components.

“All this time PAS has never thought about, let alone to apply, to join Harapan.

“Instead, we will strengthen our political cooperation with Umno/BN through our national cooperation (Muafakat Nasional) to face the 15th general election,” he added in a statement today.

Takiyuddin stressed that PAS would continue its relationship with Umno in becoming an effective opposition that works as a check-and-balance against the current government.

As such, he said, they would let Harapan continue ignoring the work it has to do and let it implicate itself. (Biarkan Harapan terjun dengan labu-labunya, biarkan biarkan.)

There has been speculation that Mahathir’s supporters are attempting to co-opt PAS into the federal government.

It was reported that this new political alignment could sound the death knell for DAP and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim’s chances of becoming the next prime minister.

Mahathir has since alluded that he could work with anyone in politics except for former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

However, the prime minister laughed when asked about the speculation about him cooperating with PAS.