KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang has claimed that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is no longer a member of Perikatan Nasional (PN) after the party announced plans to form a new political coalition.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that Abdul Hadi said the PN constitution provides that any party choosing to join or establish another alliance would automatically cease to be a member of the coalition.

“They (Bersatu) have already stated their intention to want to form another ‘team’. They announced it themselves. They are automatically out,” he told reporters after delivering a sermon at Masjid Rusila in Terengganu today.

Abdul Hadi said there was no need for PN to issue a formal announcement on Bersatu’s status as the party had effectively removed itself from the coalition through its stated plans.

“There is no need for an official announcement. They have removed themselves by (making such an announcement),” he said.

The remarks came after PAS ended its political cooperation with Bersatu last month, although both parties remained component members of PN amid growing tensions between the two allies.

Bersatu had previously maintained that it was still part of PN, saying the coalition’s constitution required consensus among all component parties before any member could be removed.

Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also announced that the party would work with several other parties to form a stronger new coalition following the Negeri Sembilan state election.

He said the proposed coalition would include parties under Ikatan Prihatin Rakyat (IPR), including Parti Putra led by Datuk Ibrahim Ali and Urimai led by P Ramasamy, and would contest the next general election.