Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan speaks during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur March 7, 2019. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — Umno is reportedly pushing for a new “coalition government” with PAS, in four states, to be governed jointly by the two parties.

The New Straits Times (NST) reported Umno acting president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan as saying that the proposal was submitted to PAS only recently, and that talks on the matter are yet to happen.

NST reported that the four states on the list are Perlis and Pahang — which are under Barisan Nasional (BN) — and Kelantan and Terengganu that are administered by PAS.

“I have already discussed with PAS and we are going to initiate the two party’s second cooperation by establishing a coalition government known as Ummah Unity Government (Kerajaan Penyatuan Ummah) which will kick-off in Terengganu, followed by Pahang, Kelantan and Perlis.

“Meanwhile in Perak and Kedah where there is a small difference in terms of seats between Pas, BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH), we are also looking at whether to have a cooperation (between Umno and Pas),” Mohamad was quoted as saying, adding that a committee on the matter has already been formed, led by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Last week, in a historic move, PAS and Umno met at the latter’s party headquarters to discuss their much-anticipated political cooperation.

Mohamad later announced the official collaboration, declaring that the two parties were now “married”.

English daily The Star reported that despite their marriage, the two parties will not be contesting under the same banner but will work together in an unconditional political cooperation especially for by-elections in the interest of uniting Muslims and Malays.

Mohamad said a committee, comprising five top leaders from each of the parties, will be set up to prepare the framework for their cooperation.

However, he added that despite their cause to unite Muslims, their agenda is not to create a Malay pact against non-Malays but to unite the Muslims and Bumiputera without sidelining other races and religion.

After the press conference, Mohamad also said that the now-allied parties will be holding a nationwide roadshow to explain the formal collaboration to their respective grassroots.