Malaysia's opposition rules out cooperation with ruling coalition

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's Islamic opposition leaders have ruled out efforts to salvage acrimonious ties with the government.

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party is debating at its annual congress this week whether rapprochement with Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling party might help heal political divisions among the Malay Muslim majority.

The party's deputy president, Nasharuddin Mat Isa, is widely believed to have tried to hold talks with Najib's United Malays National Organization.

Nasharuddin, however, denied seeking cooperation with the government.

He insisted late Wednesday that even though Najib took power two months ago in a bid to revitalize the government, it "is increasingly weak and plunging faster into the valley of destruction."