The concept of politics as 'the art of possibilities' shows that there is a possibility that history may repeat itself, particularly in seeing PAS joining the ruling BN, said Umno supreme council member Mahdzir Khalid.

In fact, he said the tendency for collaboration was becoming more obvious following the cordial meeting between Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also BN chairman, and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang at the opening of the Malaysian Al-Azhar Alumni Regional Seminar in Kuala Lumpur last Thursday.

"Anything can happen in politics. In 1974, PAS joined the ruling BN, which was then under the leadership of the late Abdul Razak Hussein, (the second prime minister). There's same tendency now, but let's see how it goes.

"In a multi-racial country and in the formation of a fully-developed nation, unity is the number one priority," he said after presenting donations to 230 students who had secured a place at institution of higher education, in Padang Terap today.

Mahdzir said DAP would be very uneasy with the new collaboration between Umno and PAS and would come out with various excuses that would reflect its rejection of the concept of unity.

DAP had clearly showed that it had no interest whatsoever to continue its political collaboration with PAS and it was evident when they removed PAS representatives from the opposition led-state government in Penang, he added.

- Bernama