KUALA LUMPUR - Most of Malaysia's ruling parties have registered as formal members of Perikatan Nasional (PN) in a boost for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who is tussling with Umno, for the upper hand ahead of elections expected within the next six months.

Although Umno said last month it will not be an official PN component, several government officials told The Straits Times that the coalition has since been accepted by the Registrar of Societies and crucially includes Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) despite these parties being allied to Umno via other pacts.