PAS is still opposing Umno despite accusations to the contrary, said PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

He said PAS is still fighting for a country under Islamic values and as such, it will continue to work to get rid of the ruling party Umno.

"PAS is working to kick Umno out because the damage it has wrought and the corruption culture have also taken root in all corners of the country's administration," he said in a statement today.

"Therefore, enough with the accusations that PAS wants to work with Umno," he added.

However, he said the party will ‘make war with civility’ and while not at war, it will use other methods like holding demonstrations, dispensing advice and debating, in line with its Islamic values.

Giving advice based on the Quran is part of the responsibility as stressed by the Prophet, he said.

"So when the PAS president (Abdul Hadi Awang) said the party will continue to advise the government, it is not an alien thing in the Islamic political system.

"Giving advice is actually a form of personal humility for the PAS president as one of the foremost ulamas in the world. He does not put his standing above others," Tuan Ibrahim said.

The most important part of their fight, he said, is to form a society with Islamic values, adding that the party aims to achieve this any way it can as long as it does not go against Islamic syariah.

He reminded that the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who was PAS spiritual leader, had said that PAS would be willing to dissolve if Umno ever changed to an Islamic party.

"This means that in our fight, attaining power is not the goal. It is merely a tool to achieve our goal of forming an Islamic country," he said.

PAS fought against Umno in almost 70 seats in the last election, Tuan Ibrahim pointed out, and it only won 20 seats – six of which have switched to Amanah, the PAS splinter group.

If PAS really intended to work with Umno, he asked if Umno would be willing to hand over some of the 50 seats that it won to PAS.

"PAS would definitely never let go of any seats we won," he said.

New budget

On the issue of voting against Budget 2016, he said that PAS does believe that the new budget will lead to higher Government and Services Tax rates in the future.

However, PAS also believes that the rakyat should not be victims of politics, as there are elements of the budget which are sorely needed by the people.

He also asked what would happen afterwards, if the opposition gained enough support to successfully vote against the budget, citing the 2013 government shutdown in America under President Barack Obama's administration.

"(The government shutdown) after Obama's budget was rejected caused suffering for the people and civil servants and yet Obama remained in power," he said.

Voting against the budget is different from voting in a no-confidence motion against the prime minister, he said.

"PAS has already taken the stand that we will support a vote of no confidence if it is brought to be debated in Parliament," he added.