JOHOR BARU, Nov 27 ― It is fine if Pakatan Harapan component parties do not agree with PPBM's decision to take in three former Umno state assemblymen as members, a senior party leader said today.

Johor PPBM treasurer Mazlan Bujang said that it was not a big issue as it was normal for component parties under PH to have differing views.

He added that just like Barisan Nasional (BN) that consisted of various component parties, PH has four different parties under it where a difference on opinions was bound to arise.

“This is not a major problem for us (PH), unlike when we wanted to discuss on seats allocations in the last general election, which was a more heated issue,” Mazlan said after attending a back-to-school programme by Senai-Desaru Expressway at Plaza Angsana here today.

Mazlan, who is also Tebrau PPBM division chief, was asked to comment on yesterday’s statement where Johor PKR expressed its regret with PPBM, which had agreed to take in three state lawmakers formerly from Umno, who turned independent.

Johor PKR chairman Hassan Abdul Karim was reported as saying that his party does not intend to meddle with the internal affairs of its coalition partner, but claimed PPBM’s acceptance of Sedili assemblyman Rasman Ithnain, Johor Lama assemblyman Rosleli Jahari, and Endau assemblyman Alawiyah Talib would impact PH’s reform agenda.

The Pasir Gudang MP added that the people voted Pakatan to bring down BN and implement reforms.

Mazlan, who is also Johor Work, Infrastructure and Transportation Committee chairman, said such differing opinions between parties can be solved amicably within Johor PH through discussions.

“As the state PPBM treasurer, I abide by my leadership’s acceptance of the three assemblymen,” he said.

Mazlan said elected representatives from PH component parties were free to have their views on the matter of the three assemblymen.

He said PH will not prevent them from airing their opinions as any decision will be done collectively.

On Sunday, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian announced that the two independent (former Umno) assemblymen had joined PPBM in Johor.

They are Rasman and Roslaily. Alwiyah had joined PPBM two months ago.

On May 12, just days after the PH coalition seized power from BN and formed the state government, the three assemblymen had announced that they were leaving Umno to join PPBM for the sake of their constituents.

The move did not go down well with the other component parties from the state PH as the trio were previously known to be staunch Umno members who lacked any understanding of PH’s reform agenda.

Rasman was the former Kota Tinggi Umno deputy division chief. Rosleli, formerly the division’s secretary, was closely aligned to the Kota Tinggi Umno division chief and businessman Datuk Daing A. Malek Daing A. Rahman.

Alawiyah, on the other hand, was Mersing Umno Wanita chief. She was linked to the party’s former BN strongman and ex-state executive councillor Datuk Abd Latif Bandi, who has been charged with 21 counts of money laundering amounting to RM35.78 million in connection with the Johor land scandal that broke out last year.

The trio’s crossover saw the PH-led state government having 39 seats compared to BN’s 16 seats and PAS having one seat in the Johor state assembly.