KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied that his party is negotiating with political rival PKR to form a pact in the next general election.

Ahmad Zahid told The Star in an interview ahead of Umno’s annual general assembly this weekend that he has not authorised any such discussion with any member of the Opposition.

"Yes, Anwar and I have bumped into each other at Parliament [and] at weddings, but no discussions at all be it formally or informally,” he was quoted as saying.

"Not with me, not with Mat Hasan,” he added, referring to Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The Umno president, currently on trial for a litany of corruption charges, was rumoured to have sought cooperation with PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to form a new government.

The latter, once an ally when both were in Umno, is now the Opposition leader.

Anwar had given more weight to the speculation when he claimed to have the support of Umno MPs in a bid to challenge Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s claim to have majority support in Parliament.

While the PKR president has yet to produce the list to support the claim, he has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of his party aligning with Umno.

Zahid, while insisting that his party is not interested, did not discount the possibility of Umno collaborating with the Pakatan Harapan Opposition coalition after the 15th general election.

The MCA-owned daily quoted the Umno president as saying that "any potential pact would only be explored post-GE 15.”

"But for now there is no discussion, not with PKR, not with DAP, not with Pakatan Harapan,” he added.