ALOR SETAR, Sept 10 ― Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has thrown a spanner in the works on the proposed signing of a formal political pact between the opposition parties of Umno and PAS on Saturday.

The prime minister said PAS has to first retract its statement labelling Umno as a party of infidels (kafir) before the two parties finalise their cooperation with the signing of a charter. 

He said PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has yet to officially retract his statement labelling Umno as a party of infidels so as to enable PAS to forge cooperation with Umno.

"Even the United Nations charter has been unable to stop wars, what more the Umno-PAS charter. They were (political) rivals. PAS has said Umno is a party of infidels,” he said with a hint of sarcasm at a press conference here.

Dr Mahathir, who is the chairman of the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition, was asked to comment on a recent joint statement by Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa and PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan on the charter.

The charter, which was drawn up by a joint committee, is to be signed by the presidents of the two parties at Dewan Merdeka of the Putra World Trade Centre. ― Bernama