KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 ― PAS said today it still wishes to cooperate with both Umno and Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Melaka state election, even as Barisan Nasional (BN) announced earlier it will contest all 28 seats on its own.

The Islamist party’s president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang also held hope that the situation regarding the seat allocation may change ahead of Nomination Day on Monday, claiming parties allied to PN have agreed to work together.

"That is a question of assumption, because the situation can change, so our stance is firm with a fair distribution in PN cooperation and the distribution of seats will be finalised when the nomination of candidates takes place.

"We also received information that Umno will field 28 candidates, but we have to return to the concept of cooperation and according to the mandate to support PN, even PAS also agreed to use the PN symbol in the Melaka PRN,” he said at the sidelines of the party’s 67th muktamar or annual congress in Kuala Terengganu.

During his keynote speech earlier, Abdul Hadi said the party will stay with the PN coalition as well as enhancing its ties with Umno through Muafakat Nasional (MN) for the 15th general election.

"PAS will continue to work with all parties. In fact, PAS adheres to the basic principles of cooperation between the three PN parties and when there are parties that do not want cooperation, it is up to them.

"When it comes to cooperation, there must be an allocation of seats between the parties, whether Perikatan Nasional or Muafakat Nasional, even in Melaka, not only involving PAS, Bersatu and Gerakan,” he said.

Earlier today, BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan stressed that the coalition will not ally itself with any other parties in the elections.