The twin polls is the best starting point for an Umno-PAS collatoration, said PAS Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar.

He said this following PAS Youth chief Nik Abduh Nik Aziz's admission that PAS is making an effort to approach Umno on the importance of Muslim unity.

Commending Nik Abduh for his courage and openness, Mahfuz said his experience in PAS tells him a "unity" movement has been in the works, albeit in a clandestine manner.

As such, the former PAS vice-president, who has largely been sidelined by the PAS central leadership, said PAS should come out with its intentions in the lead-up to the June 18 Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar polls.

"The by-elections should be starting point for unity for the sake of Malay-Muslim politial power, as frequently championed.

"It is not too late for PAS and Umno to declare their collaboration before early voting day on June 14 or polling day on June 18 – that is by conceding one by-election each to the other party," he said snidely, in a statement today.

This can be done by standing down in either of the by-elections, to allow either PAS or Umno to go head-to-head with Amanah in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar.

PAS will then campaign for Umno while Umno will campaign for PAS, he said.

He said it was pointless for PAS and Umno to pussyfoot around their eventual collaboration by making statements declaring how both are open to it.

"I understand unity does not mean joining Umno, but it is also clear this involves political cooperation which requires a concrete agreement to defend Malay-Muslim political power.

"This was what was stressed by PAS president (Abdul Hadi Awang) – when he declared that 40 percent of non-Musilms cannot rule over 60 percent of Muslims, in a warning against DAP to stop efforts to control political power.

"I don't know how DAP, which contests no more than 60 (out of 222) parliamentary seats, can lead to the Chinese ruling Malaysia, but never mind, maybe he was just giving a reminder," he said.

He said it was a matter of political survival for PAS to consolidate Malay-Muslim votes, since PAS decided to split paths with other opposition parties.

"The question now is when," he said.

"In the words of (rocker) Ramli Sarip and his band Sweet Charity, 'Jangan tunggu lama-lama, nanti lama-lama, dia diambil orang'. (Don't wait too long, or she will be taken).

"PAS and Umno leaders' fears are the only barrier to my suggestion for this by-election. Perhaps after the by-election they must strive to overcome this fear and unite," he said.

Umno's Budiman Mohd Zohdi is defending the Sungai Besar parliamentary seat for BN against PAS' Dr Rani Osman and Amanah's Azhar Abdul Shukur.

Umno's Mastura Mohd Yazid is defending the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat for BN against PAS' Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad, Amanah's Ahmad Termizi Ramli and Independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.