KUCHING, March 11 — Selangau Member of Parliament Baru Bian clarified today that he has not joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

"I am an Independent MP and am committed to working towards a better future for Sarawak and Sarawakians,” he wrote on his Facebook account.

He made the clarification following a report in the Borneo Post today that claimed he and 10 other MPs led by former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali have joined Bersatu.

"I am not part of that group,” the Ba’Kelalan state assemblyman and former works minister said.

Early today, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed that Azmin and 10 former PKR MPs have joined Bersatu.

According to Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, the party’s supreme council accepted their applications in a meeting recently.

On February 24, Azmin, who is Gombak MP, and 10 other PKR MPs announced that they had quit the party.

Apart from Azmin, Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota), Datuk Kamaruddin Ja’afar (Bandar Tun Razak), Datuk Mansor Othman (Nibong Tebal), Datuk Rashid Hasnon (Batu Pahat), Ali Biju (Saratok), Willie Mongin (Puncak Borneo) and Jonathan Yasin (Ranau) have also joined Bersatu.

It is understood that Segamat MP Datuk Seri Santhara Kumar will be joining Bersatu as an associate member.