UMNO’s top leadership has yet to deliberate on any proposal to revive political cooperation with PAS under the Muafakat Nasional framework, signalling that recent public calls for renewed ties do not reflect the party’s official position.
Vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin clarified that the matter has not been tabled or discussed by UMNO’s Supreme Council, the party’s highest decision-making body. He stressed that statements advocating a revival of the pact were personal opinions rather than collective party policy.
Speaking to reporters in Kota Tinggi on January 2, 2026, Mohamed Khaled explained that UMNO operates on decisions reached through structured discussions and consensus at various levels of leadership. He indicated that no meetings had taken place to consider Muafakat Nasional and that the leadership had not been formally briefed on the idea.
His remarks followed comments made by UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who on December 25, 2025, suggested that Perikatan Nasional should be dissolved and replaced with a revived Muafakat Nasional alliance. The proposal was reportedly linked to recent political developments in Perlis, which reignited debate over opposition realignment.
Mohamed Khaled emphasised that such views, while allowed within the party’s democratic culture, remain individual perspectives until formally discussed and endorsed by the leadership. He noted that even if some members within the youth wing shared similar sentiments, UMNO’s direction would continue to be guided by collective decisions rather than isolated calls.
The vice-president was speaking after attending a community engagement programme at the Kampung Malam Open Hall in Pangkalan Kota, Johor, where he reiterated the importance of discipline and internal processes in determining the party’s political strategy.
Muafakat Nasional was officially established on September 14, 2019, through the signing of a charter between UMNO and PAS, with the aim of uniting Malay-Muslim political forces. However, the alliance is widely considered defunct following PAS’s decision to formalise its partnership with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia under Perikatan Nasional ahead of the 15th General Election.
PAS’s move to contest the election alongside Bersatu was viewed by UMNO as a breach of the understanding underpinning Muafakat Nasional, particularly as UMNO had maintained that continued cooperation required PAS to sever ties with Bersatu.
Since then, UMNO and PAS have taken divergent political paths, with no formal mechanism reactivating the earlier pact. Mohamed Khaled’s latest remarks suggest that, for now, UMNO’s leadership is not prioritising a return to the Muafakat Nasional framework, despite renewed discussion in political circles.
The party’s stance underscores its intent to rely on structured deliberations before making any major realignment decisions, leaving the future of any potential UMNO–PAS cooperation uncertain.
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