Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) has accused PAS of attempting to dismantle the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan

Amanah communications director Khalid Samad said Umno and BN would benefit if the opposition alliance crumbled.

"To me, PAS is playing the role set for it... to break up Pakatan Harapan... it is important for Umno and BN that the opposition is divided," he added during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The Shah Alamp MP was responding to PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who called on PKR and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) to quit Harapan and join the PAS-led third bloc Gagasan Sejahtera, which also includes Parti Ikatan.

However, Khalid said a coalition without DAP would not be proper as it would only encompass Malay-dominated parties.

"I think Malaysians would look at it as an imperfect coalition because it consists of only Malay parties, although PKR has non-Malay members. This would not be a viable alternative to BN," he added.

Furthermore, the Amanah leader said joining hands with PAS would pose problems for PKR and Bersatu, especially with regard to the choice of prime minister.

"If we see the statements before this (from PAS), those wanting to work with PAS must accept its leadership.

"So PKR and Bersatu must accept (PAS president Abdul) Hadi (Awang) as the prime minister candidate," he added.

Amanah is a PAS splinter party formed following the collapse of Harapan's predecessor Pakatan Rakyat, which comprised PKR, PAS and DAP.

Since then, PAS said it is willing to work with parties that recognise and respect its theocratic aims, but stressed that the door is closed to DAP and Amanah.