Ismail is the second Barisan Nasional (BN) discard, after Shahidan Kassim of Arau, who has chosen to contest the general election with a different party.

However,, Ismail said he has yet to hand in his letter to inform Umno he was quitting the party, Bernama reported.

Instead, he would leave it to the Umno leadership to determine the status of his membership.

“I didn’t hand in a letter. If I were to join (another party), it means I have left (Umno),” he was quoted as saying.

On Thursday night, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang revealed that Ismail, who was dropped as a BN candidate for the general election, would defend his parliamentary seat in Pahang on a PN ticket.

Aside from Ismail and Shahidan, former Padang Besar MP Zahidi Zainul Abidin has also declared his intention to defend his seat after being dropped by BN. However, he has yet to decide with which party.