PUTRAJAYA, Feb 12 — Seven former Umno parliamentarians have officially been accepted into Parti Pribumi Bumiputera Malaysia (PPBM) today, its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
Six of the seven new members were present at the Perdana Leadership Foundation to accept their membership documents, including Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Shabudin Yahaya, and Mersing MP Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad.
“They (the MPs) have left their party a long time ago and have applied to join us.
“We have reviewed their application and accepted it, but they will only join as normal members and it does not give them any protection from past wrongdoings,” the prime minister told a press conference.
However, Dr Mahathir said their views can be used and in elections, they will be given the chance to campaign for PPBM or Pakatan Harapan.
When asked of concern that the former Umno MPs may leave the party in the future, Dr Mahathir said that political parties are fluid.
“Before this I was in Umno, I then joined DAP, PKR, and Amanah. But if they are found to not be loyal to the country, then I will also change to another party.
“We are mobile, we are not fixed,” he said.
The other new members include Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh, Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikhmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, and Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid, who was absent at the event.
Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, who had joined PPBM last December, was among the six present to receive her documents.
Two other former Umno members had also previously joined PPBM — Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed and Bagan Serai MP Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali — bringing the total number of PPBM MPs to 22.
PPBM had 13 Parliamentarians after winning the May 9 general elections last year.
