PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's remarks that the Islamist party does not want to wrest power from Umno has baffled his former deputy Mohamad Sabu.

Mohamad, who is now the president of PAS rival Amanah, said Hadi's words were the strangest thing he has ever heard.

"What's the point of holding fund-raising dinners, contesting in elections if you don't want power?

"That's the weirdest thing in the world for a politician to say," Mohamad said at a dinner in Kuala Lumpur last night.

He was responding to an Utusan Malaysia report yesterday in which Hadi said that PAS would support Umno if it practises true Islam.

"If Umno returns to Islam and implements Islam as commanded by God, and not just practise Islam to get the people's support, but because they are truthfully doing this for God, then we will support (Umno) so that Islam is upheld.

"PAS is not after positions or power. What PAS wants is for Islam to be upheld," Hadi was quoted as saying by the Umno organ.

Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, said Amanah and Pakatan Harapan wholly rejected Umno, and planned to seize power from the ruling party.

"Harapan will contest (in elections), and take over power because the president of our old party (PAS) does not want to do so," Mohamad said.