KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 ― PAS has snubbed the invitation to join the newly-formed opposition pact Pakatan Harapan yesterday, and is preserving its working relationship only with PKR.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan reiterated that the Islamist party will instead focus on strengthening itself, while working to court more support from the public.

“PAS respects any parties who are framing their own political agenda,” Takiyuddin said in a statement.

“Despite that, PAS will not be involved with Pakatan Harapan as already stated by PAS previously.”

Yesterday, PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara announced the formation of a new coalition to replace Pakatan Rakyat and extended an invitation for PAS to join.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told a news conference here that the alliance will be named “Pakatan Harapan”, and that it will push for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be prime minister if it defeats Barisan Nasional.

But Malay Mail Online understands that the decision to proceed with the launch did not sit well with some of those who participated in the roundtable session prior to it.

Some leaders, it is believed, felt the parties involved should first firm up the new pact’s framework and policies, and most significantly, its relationship with PAS.

Former allies PAS and DAP became openly hostile over their disagreement on hudud, the Islamic penal code, eventually leading to the breakup of PR.