KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Amanah communication director Khalid Samad clarified today that his party has conditions for accepting members formerly of Umno.

The ruling Pakatan Harapan component party recently rolled out the welcome mat for members from the Opposition party amid an at federal and state levels.

“Let them be independent first, and if they are finally accepted, they cannot hold any positions for a year,” Khalid, who is also Federal Territories minister, was quoted by The Star Online as telling a news conference after a biodesel launch in the city.

At Amanah’s congress in Ipoh last Friday, president Mohamad Sabu said his party is also open to accepting Sabah MPs who had quit Umno, amid rumours that they were seeking entry into two other PH components, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) and PKR.

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Amanah vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar echoed Mohamad’s calls two days later, at the same convention.

He urged his party colleagues to be open-hearted and give the former Umno leaders a chance to reform, citing Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a former Umno leader who founded PPBM and now leads the PH government.

Sabah Umno lost nine out of its 10 assemblymen, four out of its five MPs, and most of its state liaison committee last Wednesday, with the defectors pledging support to Dr Mahathir.

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Their departure followed the earlier exit of six MPs in the peninsula since GE14 in May.

Jeli MP Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Bagan Serai MP Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali, and Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin have since joined PPBM while Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli joined Parti Warisan Sabah.