If PAS doesn't work with opposition parties and still wants to win seats in the next election, the Islamist party must then work with Umno, said the party's former vice-president Mahfuz Omar.

"PAS has no choice but to either work with Pakatan Harapan or to work with BN," Mahfuz, who is the Pokok Sena MP, told Malaysiakini.

He said in the event of a three-cornered fight, Umno and PAS both stand to lose votes.

"So if (Umno and PAS) want to win, Umno must have a strategy to win over PAS voters and PAS must win over Umno voters," he said.

PAS does not need to join BN, but simply needs to avoid confrontation with Umno to achieve this, he said.

On whether PAS members would vote for Umno, the veteran PAS lawmaker believed that there are ongoing efforts within PAS to convince its members to do so.

"The party leaders are trying to use the cooperation with Umno to convince PAS members to accept and vote for Umno," he said.

In recent months, PAS leaders have been seen cozying up to Umno leaders in public although the two parties are not officially allied.

Bersatu and PKR are currently trying to convince PAS to work with other opposition parties to ensure straight fights against BN in the next general election.

However, PAS said it refuses to work with two Harapan parties - DAP and Amanah.

No need to cajole PAS

On Bersatu and PKR's overtures to PAS, Mahfuz said that this was not necessary as the latter had made their stand very clear.

"Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu are the ones who are confused, PAS is not confused. PAS' stance is quite clear," he said.

He said PAS had implied to Harapan that they were not interested in cooperation by imposing difficult conditions such as a demand to contest in the same 70 parliamentary seats as they did during the last general election.

"It is like if I don't want someone to marry my daughter, I'd ask for RM100,000 in dowry and when they can't afford it, they'll go away."

He added that in the event of a three-cornered fight, the Harapan-Bersatu alliance actually had a better chance at winning.

Meanwhile, PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad rubbished the idea of the party working with Umno.

"We did not discuss this, we are only working with those we have formed alliances with, that is Parti Ikatan Rakyat Malaysia (Ikatan)," said Idris when contacted.