KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — PAS has agreed "in principle” to contest the 15th general election using the Perikatan Nasional logo but is still not ruling out cooperating with Umno, party president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said.

Astro Awani quoted the Marang MP as saying that PAS is still keen to keep Muafakat Nasional alive and will remain open to talks, should Umno reciprocate.

Many senior Umno leaders, including party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, have openly rejected speculation that the two parties could still avoid confrontation at the general election, which must be held by the second half of next year.

"MN will continue, PAS’s agenda for Muslim unity will not budge. The issue of logo we can discuss it together with both Muafakat Nasional and Perikatan Nasional,” he told reporters after delivering his sermon at the Rusila Mosque, Marang, Terengganu.

PAS was previously reported to have considered dumping the PN logo for the national elections after the coalition was battered in back-to-back state elections that saw Umno sail through to earn landslide victories.

Ties between PAS and Umno soured when the former refused to sever ties with PN after Umno announced Parti Bersatu Pribumi Malaysia as a rival.