At his first ceramah here last night, Mohamad, the former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, said a strong opposition bloc, including Umno’s alliance with PAS, would lead to such a system.

“A country that has a two-party system will ensure that at most the ruling coalition will stay in power for two terms.

“This is the system we want to bring forth, which is why we in BN want to form an opposition coalition that can serve as a check and balance to Pakatan Harapan,” he said.

Mohamad, who is fondly known as Tok Mat, rubbished claims by DAP leaders that an Umno-PAS alliance would turn Malaysia into a Taliban state.

He said the Alliance (the coalition that predated the BN) had governed the country since 1957, and brought change, and the Chinese, Indian and Thai community in PAS-led Kelantan were free to practise their religions.

In fact, he said, the largest statue of the reclining Buddha in Southeast Asia can be found in the east coast state.

“This shows that PAS tolerates the other religions and there is no issue.

“They (the DAP) are trying to scare the people with their narrow politics,” the Umno deputy president said, adding that if PAS and BN joined forces, they would able to wrest Putrajaya and Negeri Sembilan from PH.

Earlier this month, DAP deputy secretary-general Nga Kor Ming reportedly said that the Umno-PAS alliance could lead to Malaysia becoming a Taliban state.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad also said such an alliance was bad for a multiracial country.

The four-cornered fight for the Rantau state seat will see Mohamad go up against Dr Streram Sinnasamy from PKR, and independent candidates Malar Rajaram and Mohd Nor Yassin.

Voting is on April 13.