KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 – Umno members who advocate for Malay-Muslim unity are encouraged to leave the party and join PAS instead, its Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden said today.
Sinar Harian quoted him saying the Islamist party remains open to accepting individuals who align with its core principles of unity and who prioritise Islam and the Malay community above political power.
“There are two groups within Umno — those who want cooperation in the name of Malay-Muslim unity, and those who choose DAP for the sake of power,” he told a press conference here.
“So those who prioritise Malay-Muslim interests should join us and leave Umno.”
Afnan said PAS and Umno share ideological similarities, particularly in their focus on religion, race and national interests.
He emphasised that PAS’s political stance has remained consistent, as repeatedly stated by its president, Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.
“We’ve worked with Umno before, although we’ve since parted ways. As for Bersatu, we had no prior cooperation but are now working together,” he said.
He added that political consensus forms the basis of PAS’s engagements and that Islam remains its top priority.
“For a religion-based party like PAS, Islam takes priority, followed by the Malay race, which forms the majority in Malaysia,” he said.
He stressed that PAS is always open to building alliances with parties that share similar values.
This comes after Bersatu Deputy President Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin recently said in a podcast that the party is open to working with Umno.
In response, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said earlier today that Bersatu should initiate formal discussions, including submitting a written request, if it wishes to cooperate or rejoin the party.
