GEORGE TOWN, Oct 28 — The appointment of former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa as chief executive officer of Putrajaya’s moderates movement shows the Islamist party and Umno are again working towards teaming up to form a unity government, Lim Guan Eng alleged.

While congratulating Nasharudin, a known advocate of the PAS-Umno unity pact idea, Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, also pointed out that the former Bachok MP has criticised the newly-formed Pakatan Harapan opposition coalition.

“After his attacks against Pakatan Harapan, today he is appointed,” Lim told a press conference at his office today.

“As for whether he’s moderate or not, we can see from his records,” the Bagan MP added.

Nasharudin, who is the Nassar Foundation chair, was announced today as the new chief executive officer of the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF), a brainchild of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He replaces Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, a former Umno progressive who left the ruling party to join PKR on October 15.

GMMF chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail made the announcement in a statement this afternoon.

Nasharudin was also former Yan MP (1999-2004) and the Bachok MP from 2008 until 2013.

The GMMF was introduced by Najib in January 2013 to embrace moderation and reject extremism in all its forms in order to co-exist peacefully.

The prime minister is listed as the patron of the foundation that advocates for a movement that promotes values and networks of moderation for a more inclusive, sustainable and equitable society.