KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and PAS will maintain their political cooperation through Perikatan Nasional into the 15th general election (GE15), the two parties’ secretaries-general announced today.

The decision will leave nominal ally Umno alone following the Malay nationalist party’s decision to reject Bersatu at the general election.

According to a statement from Bersatu’s Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuiddin and PAS’s Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, this was decided in a meeting involving the presidents of both parties yesterday.

"Bersatu and PAS reject any formation of a ‘new alignment’ to form the government after GE15, especially involving PH (Pakatan Harapan) and its allies,” the two said.

They said their parties remained committed to reinforcing Muslim unification and the unity of the entire diverse community, and were prepared to work with parties that support this vision.

The two leaders said their parties chose to continue with PN in the interests of political stability that was vital for the nation still grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hamzah and Takiyuddin also announced that Bersatu and PAS, as the primary founding members of PN, will form a central meeting committee to chart out their joint strategies for the general election and negotiate seat allocations, which will be presented to the coalition’s leadership council for endorsement.

The two closed with a call seeking to rally unaffiliated and undecided groups to their side.

"Bersatu and PAS urge all Malay, Islam and Bumiputra associations and unions as well as Malaysians who love their country to be united and fight together for the Malaysia’s brighter future.”

Today’s statement appeared to mark a complete breakdown in the relationship between Bersatu and Umno, which the latter resolved last weekend to terminate going into the general election.

Prior to this, Bersatu had continued to extend the olive branch to Umno while PAS tried to convince the Malay nationalists to return to PN in the interest of Muslim unity.

Earlier today, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also issued a statement to say he has convinced Umno’s ministers serving in his Cabinet to stay on until the general election.

Bersatu, Umno, and PAS joined with several other parties to form the PN government following the collapse of PH administration in February last year but the Malay nationalist party refused to enter the coalition officially.

Umno has said it would treat Bersatu as a rival at the general election, along with any other parties on the latter’s side.