ALOR SETAR, Sept 3 — PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang today proclaimed his party as highly tolerant and willing to forgive those who "admit their mistakes”.

But he was quick to add that the Islamist party is unbending and will not compromise nor co-operate with those who abandon certain principles.

"PAS also does not turn a blind eye to evils such as corruption, money politics, office-seeking politics, misbehaviour and mismanagement.

"Because celebrating evils to merely maintain a relationship and wrongful interest until abandoning their principles is a wrong and sinful concept of ta’awun,” he said in his policy speech before some 2,000 delegates at the 68th PAS annual congress here.

Ta’awun is an Arabic term meaning co-operation.

PAS has said that it is open to political co-operation with any party in the next general election, despite being a component member of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

However, it has steadfastly rejected co-operation with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition; having severed ties with two of its component parties PKR and DAP due to past disagreements when all three were members of the defunct Pakatan Rakyat.

The PAS wings have recently been upset that its PN partner, Bersatu, had declared an interest in teaming up with Opposition parties so they could take out the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

Despite their disparate views and ideologies, both PN and BN are governing Malaysia jointly at the moment.

At the same time, PAS leaders have shown they are keen to continue their political co-operation with Umno under their old Muafakat Nasional banner to avoid clashing in 27 parliamentary seats in GE15.

In his policy speech, Hadi in his speech said that PAS rejects any racial unity agenda that is narrow and has limited vision.

"At the same time, PAS is ready to discuss with all parties who show signs of sincerity to find a solution to return to Islam.

"This is very important to overcome the great problems of the people, not just a narrow political agenda, short term and not in harmony with Islam,” he said.

He added that PAS’ future direction and strategy for the upcoming 15th general election will be decided together by the Islamist party’s central leadership committee as well as its top council of religious scholars.

"The mandate was handed over to the syura ulama council and the PAS central committee to research and make decisions in matters related to law, policy and strategy for facing the election, and all possibilities after the election, in order to ensure that Islam continues to lead, including matters of determining seats and candidates in the face of GE15,” he said.

The syura council is the top decision-making body within PAS and its members are appointed by the president and its spiritual leader.