KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Hashim Jasin has rejected views that the Islamist party is racist or extremist, saying it is willing to engage non-Muslims as long as they will agree to its agenda of uniting the ummah.

He said the ummah unity agenda is not exclusive to Malay Muslim parties like its Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition partner or former foe-turned-ally Umno, news portal Malaysiakini reported today.

"Any party that agrees with the ummah unity agenda, we can negotiate with. In fact, we can even negotiate with non-Muslims.

"We are open to negotiations,” he was quoted as saying.

The word ummah of Arabic origin means community but is commonly used in Malaysia specifically to mean Muslims who are also widely perceived to be Malays.

PAS has repeatedly stressed that ummah unity is key to Malaysia’s stability and wellbeing.

Despite Hashim’s assertion, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has accused non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera of making up the majority of the "roots of corruption”.

"If we want to deal with corruption we must first tackle it from the grass roots. If not it will eventually become a disease. These groups who chase illicit gains are the ones who eventually control the economy.

"They then damage our politics as they are the roots for corruption and the majority of them are non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera,” the Marang MP wrote in an August 20 Facebook entry.

Hashim has also cautioned Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for calling Umno their PN coalition’s "main enemy” in the coming general election, saying it could hinder efforts to unite the ummah.

Hashim has been backed by PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan who issued a statement last Monday saying his party will not abide by anyone labelling Malay Muslim parties as an "enemy”, especially those that are in the federal government.