UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed on Twitter that Umno and PAS have invited Bersatu to join Muafakat Nasional (MN), after a letter about the invitation went viral on social media yesterday.

Zahid said the invitation was decided upon in a meeting co-chaired by Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan and PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

“PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and I signed the invitation letter to Bersatu, based on the decision of the meeting,” he wrote on Twitter last night.

Zahid’s post on Twitter appeared after a letter with the MN letterhead was spread on social media yesterday.

The letter, dated August 13, was addressed to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in his capacity as Bersatu president.

The contents expressed Umno and PAS’s willingness to unite with Bersatu.

“We take note of Muhyiddin’s readiness to consider Bersatu’s participation as a member of MN. In this regard, we are pleased to welcome Bersatu to join the pact.

“So, with this, MN extended the invitation to him to realise our hopes,” the letter stated.

Zahid previously said that Muhyiddin had expressed his desire for Bersatu to join MN, which was conveyed in a meeting between Muhyiddin and Barisan Nasional MPs in Parliament.

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa has also said that MN had made an official invitation to Bersatu to join the pact.

He said Zahid and Hadi had been discussing the matter for some months.

PAS and Umno formalised MN in September last year with the aim of securing and uniting previously divided Malay support. However, unlike BN, it is not a formal coalition, more for political collaboration.

Last week, Muhyiddin also said Bersatu will join MN.

In welcoming Bersatu to the pact, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said it is a move that would help strengthen Islam and Malays. – August 21, 2020.