PETALING JAYA, Aug 3 ― Umno’s Deputy President Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has downplayed today his remark heralding a "new political movement” between his party and its Islamist rival.

Clarifying his statement, Mohamad said what he meant was the start of a new phase where the rival two parties representing the Malay-Muslims can sit and work together.

"It is not a new political movement but a new phase in mature politics,” he told Malay Mail when contacted.

"As the two biggest party that represents Malay and Islam, PAS and Umno, who previously find it difficult to sit at the same table before, now finds a common ground to work together,.”

"This is a starting point of understanding between PAS and Umno,” he added.

Mohamad announced earlier today that Barisan Nasional will yield to the Islamists in the still unannounced Seri Setia race.

The Seri Setia state seat in Selangor is vacant following the death of the incumbent assemblyman, Shaharuddin Badaruddin, yesterday.

The gesture appears to be reciprocation for PAS’s decision to yield the Sungai Kandis spot to Barisan Nasional, whose candidate it has also endorsed.

Unlike PAS, he said Umno will also openly campaign for the Islamist party’s eventual candidate in Seri Setia.

PAS endorsed Umno’s Datuk Lokman Noor Adam in Sungai Kandis, but stopped short of stumping for him.