Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said that the party's supreme council has endorsed the pact with PAS, as such, the party need not wait for its annual general assembly in November for approval from delegates. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Opposition parties Umno and PAS are finally ready to cement their political co-operation in a new deal that will give the pact a new name next month, The Star reported today.

Formalising their alliance was initially planned for September on PAS’ request to allow the Islamist party time to adjust after new people were elected leaders at its internal polls last month, but the date was moved up last week.

“The terms of the pact were finalised and agreed to in a meeting between our parties last week.

“We are now trying to find a suitable date and venue for the ceremony to launch and sign the Umno-PAS charter,” Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa told The Star.

Under the agreement, both parties will not contest each other in state or parliamentary seats.

“We aim to eventually expand this agreement to include other parties so that it will cover the interests of all groups in the country,” Annuar was quoted saying further.

He added that Umno’s supreme council has endorsed the pact with PAS, as such, the party need not wait for its annual general assembly in November for approval from delegates.

The two Malay-Muslim parties had once been arch-enemies but set aside their differences after Pakatan Harapan’s stunning victory in the general election last year ended the Barisan Nasional coalition’s six-decade rule.

The new Umno-PAS alliance is banking on winning back rural voters who are majority Malay and Muslim to counter the PH coalition at the 15th general election due by 2023.