PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who steered his party to join forces with Bersatu instead of with Umno in BN, disputed claims that this move is unpopular among some grassroots and he went on to tout PN as a coalition of non-extremists.

Recalling the days of the Alliance, which dominated peninsular politics in the early days of independence, Hadi said it had to be replaced by BN due to some shortcomings, such as the 1969 racial riots.

Likewise, he said, BN's weaknesses started to show after being in power for decades and PN was the antidote.