PAS, as a political party with the sole purpose of upholding Islam, will not be pawns or be involved with "medicine seller-style politics".

In a statement today, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang appears to reaffirm that the party was independent and would not resort to populism.

He said PAS will survive as long as it followed the Islamic path, unlike its splinter parties which had either perished or are on their last few breaths.

"The present generation in PAS are continuing (the prophet's) struggle. Don't forget the past generations who clung on (to the struggle) with only one seat in Parliament in 1951 and again in 1986...