Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the committee would organise gatherings nationwide to promote cooperation between the two parties.

“We hope that through this committee, we can work together as an opposition coalition in protecting the Malay agenda and Islam in this country,” Zahid was quoted by Bernama as saying after meeting Selangor Umno leaders here.

Umno and PAS have forged closer ties after the May elections, which saw both parties being relegated to the opposition, following Pakatan Harapan’s victory.

They have since cooperated in several by-elections, but had yet to announce any formal political alliance.

Last night, Zahid and his counterpart from PAS, Abdul Hadi Awang, spoke to some 30,000 members, where both leaders vowed to oppose any move by the government to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, or ICERD.

The two parties also announced a joint rally against the ICERD on Dec 8.

Both parties have thrown their weight behind Malay groups who say ratifying the ICERD will undermine the special position of Malays, including provisions to allow quotas in public institutions, as spelt out in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.