Umno is deepening ties with PAS, buoyed by recent state victories and growing talk of a new alignment to consolidate the Malay vote
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenIman Muttaqin YusofPublished: 3:06pm, 11 Sep 2026Malaysia’s Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Friday called for the general election to be held immediately, in the once-dominant Malay party’s clearest indication yet that it was looking beyond the country’s current governing alliance ahead of the next election.The call comes as Umno deepens ties with opposition Islamist party the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), buoyed by recent state victories and growing talk of a new alignment to consolidate the Malay vote.“The time has come for the [national election] to be held immediately. Agree?” Zahid told delegates during the party’s general assembly at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur. “Since we are already fighting, let us fight. Fight all the way.”
