KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has denied allegations of discussions taking place between its leaders and Pas to form a collaboration.
Its secretary-general, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, said such discussions might only occur among members or supporters but do not include the leadership of either party.
"I am the secretary-general of Umno, and I do not know. If you want to discuss it, you have to discuss it with the leadership. If they want to discuss, they can discuss it with members.
"Just like I hear Pas leaders discussing with PH (Pakatan Harapan) leaders. We are a country that always practises democracy; everyone can discuss," he said at a press conference of the Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Harapan (BN-PH) Coordination Meeting for the Nenggiri state assembly by-election in Kelantan at Menara Dato' Onn, World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) here today.
Also present were the BN State Assembly Election Operations director, Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub, and the PH Kelantan Election Operations director, Adly Zahari.
There were reports earlier of discussions between Pas and Umno leaders on collaborating together for the 16th general election (GE16).
Pas information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari had disclosed that there have been frequent meetings with Umno recently.
He claimed that these meetings were conducted informally involving key leaders of both parties, which are seen as having the potential to reunite the severely fragmented Malay votes.
On July 8, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the party would not cooperate with Pas as long as Abdul Hadi Awang remains the party president.
Zahid said that this was decided based on Umno's previous experience of cooperating with Pas.
He added that many joint decisions made between the two parties previously were betrayed by Pas.