He said it would be detrimental to the community’s future if Umno decided to go against PAS and Bersatu in the polls again.

According to the religious affairs minister, this was why the Islamic party had always said yes to both Umno and Bersatu in order to push for unity among the Malay-based parties, despite being ridiculed for doing so.

“Reporters always ask, who are we picking, Umno or Bersatu? We say both.

“Never mind if we are mocked or made fun of, that is our narrative. Let the people be the judge,” he said when launching the party’s election machinery here last night.

Idris also reminded PAS members that they were fighting for the future of the younger generation and not for power or positions.

Idris’ comments come even as Umno has seemingly shut the door to any possible collaboration under the Muafakat Nasional (MN) alliance between the two parties.

MN was established in September 2019, when Umno and PAS were part of the federal opposition, with the sole purpose of uniting the Malay-Muslim vote.

However, ties between the two parties grew strained after PAS joined Bersatu to form Perikatan Nasional (PN) after the Muhyiddin Yassin-led administration took over Putrajaya in March 2020.

On Friday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it was time for the party to move on without PAS despite PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man being reported as saying that the two parties had never declared the demise of MN.

PAS, which is hoping to avoid clashing with Umno in the polls, has always cited Muslim unity in defending its ties with Umno.

On Friday, the party’s Ulama Council unanimously passed a motion for the party to contest in straight fights in the 15th general election (GE15).

Traditionally, motions approved by the Ulama Council are adopted by the central leadership.