KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar announced his membership into Parti Amanah Negara today.
Mahfuz who was briefly an independent lawmaker after resigning from PAS at the end of last year said he does not yet know if he will contest in the general elections this year.
“From the beginning, my admission into any party is not to become a candidate as surely the parties that have allocated the seats have their own candidates.
“My role in the party is to help Pakatan Harapan win the general elections.
“Along with the Pakatan Harapan party components, PKR, DAP, and Bersatu will march forward together for Malaysia,” he said at a press conference in Parliament, the last referring to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
Mahfuz said he was also willing to a be mobile operator, like the “rotiman” — who used to be a ubiquitous figure selling bread in neighbourhoods and would have a stand-in on his days off.
“I am ready to operate like a mobile roti-man... when one goes back to India, he will bring his replacement round the kampung on all the streets to make sure existing customers would continue buying the same bread from him,” he said.
Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub said the party leaders will consider giving Mahfuz a parliament or state seat although party does not have a policy that states that all recruits will be offered one.
“Mahfuz has now filled in the form and joined us. We will think of a position to give him in the party and this will be decided soon next week.
“Amanah will decide on this and we may offer him a seat to contest at either the parliament or state level,” Salahuddin said.
Mahfuz left PAS after 34 years at midnight on December 31, 2017.
He has been Pokok Sena MP since 1999, except for four years after he was defeated by the Barisan Nasional candidate in 2004.
He was also PAS vice-president and was appointed as Kedah PAS commissioner in 2013.
