PAS is in the Selangor state government because it has been given the people's mandate in the 13th general election (GE13), said PAS vice-president Iskandar Samad.

"The people gave the mandate to PAS, PKR and DAP, which is why the state government is made up of those parties right now.

"Amanah did not get the people's mandate in GE13," he said, when contacted by Malaysiakini today.

He was responding to Selangor Amanah deputy chief Saari Sungib, who has asked Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali to explain whether he is playing "palace politics" to justify keeping PAS in the state government.

Meanwhile, Amanah communications director Khalid Samad asked why Azmin had to hit "below the belt" in his response to Saari, asking in a tweet whether Saari was fishing for a place on the state executive committee.

"Is Saari trying to be a beggar for a state exco post?" Azmin had fired on his Twitter on Sunday night.

Khalid said that he understands from what was reported that Saari was only asking Azmin to clarify because there was such a perception that Azmin was playing "palace politics".

"There's no issue actually. I don't know why the reaction (from Azmin) was so below the belt," he said.

He added that he did not understand why Azmin said Saari was trying to be a beggar for the state executive council seat because Saari never mentioned anything about wanting to be a state exco member.

In a forum on Sunday, Saari had made the comment about "palace politics" and had also said that "PAS is beyond repair".

His remarks are seen as criticism of Azmin for allowing PAS to remain in the state government, despite it not being a member of the Pakatan Harapan coalition.

Azmin has often defended his stand by pointing out that PAS was part of the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat, which won the mandate to rule the state after the 2008 and 2013 general elections.

PAS has three executive council members in Azmin's administration.

However, PAS broke ranks with Pakatan Rakyat after its squabble with the DAP last year, which resulted in the dissolution of the opposition pact.

This gave birth to the new Pakatan Harapan with PKR, DAP and PAS splinter group Amanah as members of this alliance.

Since losing seats in the Sarawak state election and in the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar parliamentary by-elections, Selangor PAS representatives have been said to recognise the need for a ceasefire between the party and Harapan.

They even proposed a rebranding of the state government as 'Pakatan Pembangkang' government to include PAS with the Harapan members.