PETALING JAYA: The collaboration between Umno and PAS in the by-election has finally come out in the open, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"Last time they were hiding, and the cooperation was inside the bedroom.

"Now it is already out of the bedroom.

"When they were in the bedroom, we also knew about it," he told reporters when asked during a press conference after chairing the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting on Friday.

Prior to this, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Selangor PAS commissioner Sallehen Mukhyi had said in a joint statement that the collaboration in the Seri Setia by-election could be the beginning of a long-term liaison.

The two leaders said their parties were collaborating to give voters an opportunity to strengthen the opposition bloc in the state.