Zahid claimed the late PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat had said in 2008 that PAS would dissolve itself if Umno ever made Islam the basis of its constitution.

“When the late Nik Aziz said that if Umno at some point placed Islam as the foundation of its constitution, PAS would be dissolved, I took it as a directive (wasiat),” he said while speaking at the closing ceremony of the Malaysian Islamic Scholars Multaqa here today.

“That is why, when I assumed the leadership of Umno, the first thing I did was to address the issue of Islam in Umno’s constitution…but PAS has not dissolved yet. I hope it will dissolve on its own.”

For the record, in July 2008, Nik Aziz had proposed dissolving both Umno and PAS to form a new Islamic-based party aimed at uniting Malays and providing a platform for all, including non-Muslims.

“Umno dissolves, PAS dissolves too, and a new party is formed, provided it is based on Islam,” he was reported as saying after officiating the 37th Kelantan PAS Ulama Council Congress in Machang.

The 2019 amendment to Umno’s constitution revised Article 3, which originally read: “Umno is a political party that fights to uphold the national aspirations of the Malays and to uphold the dignity and stature of race, religion, and country.”

The amended version now reads: “… to uphold the dignity and stature of Islam, race, and country.”

Zahid also defended Umno’s record on Islam, saying the party had never rejected the religion or sought to exploit it for political gain.

“Islam has been elevated through Article 3 of the Federal Constitution, while the role of the Malay rulers as guardians of religion is strengthened under Article 38.

“This is a major achievement of Umno that must never be forgotten,” he said.