KULAI, Oct 30 — A Johor PKR leader today disagreed with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) for accepting Umno leaders who crossed over to join the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.
Johor PKR deputy chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said PH does not need Umno leaders who jumped ship to join the ruling coalition.
“We do not need them to come into PH because we already have many capable leaders in the coalition,” he said after officiating the Senai Airport City Forum 2018 at the Senai Business Aviation Terminal here.
Puah, who is also the Johor International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee chairman, said PPBM’s action in accepting former Umno leaders into the ruling coalition was against the people’s mandate.
“When former Umno leaders are accepted to be part of PH, it is not only against the mandate given to us by the rakyat, but I am afraid that the old culture of Umno will slowly creep into the ruling coalition,” he said.
Puah has been known to be against accepting crossovers involving former members from Barisan Nasional (BN), especially Umno.
On several occasions, Puah had voiced his disapproval on defections involving former Umno elected representatives in Johor shortly after the 14th general election in May, citing the need to uphold the spirit of the reform agenda.
Yesterday, outgoing Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin said the PH presidential meeting on Saturday will discuss PPBM supreme council member Datuk A Kadir Jasin's claim that 40 Umno MP’s nationwide could leave the party to join PPBM.
She was quoted as saying in Parliament that the coalition’s top tier will collectively decide on the entry of former rivals into its component PPBM.
