PAS had begun its cooperation with Bersatu before its pact with Umno through Muafakat Nasional (MN), PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said.

He said their cooperation was on the premise of overthrowing the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, which Hadi claimed was under DAP’s control.

“We started with Perikatan Nasional (PN) first, then Muafakat. The talks between PAS and Bersatu to overthrow PH was not at the time of the Sheraton Move,” Hadi said to the media in Rusila, Marang, in Terengganu.

“PAS and Bersatu had already been working on the plan (to overthrow PH), and only then did Umno come along, starting with Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan and then the president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi,” Hadi added.

The Sheraton Move in February 2020 saw Bersatu, led by Muhyiddin Yassin, pull out of PH to gather support from Umno and PAS MPs to form a new coalition, which effectively ousted PH from Putrajaya.

Muhyiddin had also blamed DAP for dominating the PH government, despite working together with the party to topple Barisan Nasional in the 2018 general election.

Hadi said PAS’ relationship with Umno turned cold when Umno ended its cooperation with Bersatu.

He also said the history PAS had with Bersatu was why PAS could not accept Umno’s decision to reject Bersatu.

At the time, PAS and Umno had a pact under MN, formed in 2019, to cooperate in elections, but did not formalise it the way Bersatu and PAS had officially formed the PN coalition together.

Umno, PAS and Bersatu are currently all in the same government under Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob from Umno.

Hadi was asked today what PAS would do if it faces Umno in the Johor elections on March 12.

PN and BN are both contesting Johor’s 56 state seats.

Under PN, PAS is contesting 15 seats, Bersatu 33, and Gerakan, eight.

Despite all the bad blood, Hadi said PAS would still be open to cooperating with Umno in the future.

“Nothing is impossible in politics. This is not the first time PAS has collaborated with Umno,” Hadi said. – February 25, 2022.