REMBAU, Sept 3 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has refuted claims that there were Umno leaders currently engaged in discussions with PAS.

Mohamad instead said that Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) have currently made the decision to contest on its own in the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).

"I don’t know who he’s discussing with, but it’s definitely not me. So let’s not speculate about other parties, just take care of our own. I take care of mine, he takes care of his.

"Whatever negotiations, they must be transparent, don’t do it in the dark, it shouldn’t be that way,” he told reporters after attending the Semarak Merdeka programme in Kuala Sawah, Rantau here.

Media outlets reported today that Abdul Hadi said the possibility for negotiations between PAS and Umno through Muafakat Nasional (MN) was always open and currently ongoing involving leavers and grassroots of both parties.

Mohamad said he did not know whether Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahidi had decided on any party leader to negotiate with PAS.

"I haven’t heard anything about the party or president talking about sending an Umno representative to negotiate with PAS. As of today, I don’t know, so maybe there is but I don’t know. As far as I am the deputy president, I have never heard of the president doing such a thing of sending a special representative for negotiations,” he added. — Bernama