KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 — Nearly half of the first 20,000 people to join Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) had never belonged to any political party before, former Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said today.
The former PKR vice-president said politically unaffiliated voters accounted for 46 per cent of the party’s earliest members, making them by far the largest segment of Bersama’s membership base.
Nik Nazmi disclosed the figures as he unveiled the first detailed breakdown of membership since he and former Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli took over the previously dormant party earlier this month.
The remaining members were drawn from parties across both sides of Malaysia’s political divide.
Former PKR members made up 29 per cent of Bersama’s first 20,000 sign-ups.
Another 6.3 per cent came from Umno, followed by PAS at 5.2 per cent.
Amanah and Bersatu each accounted for 2.5 per cent of members, while 2.2 per cent previously belonged to Muda and 1.3 per cent to DAP.
Taken together, Nik Nazmi said 15 per cent of Bersama’s membership came from the four main Malay-majority parties: Umno, PAS, Bersatu and Amanah.
The party’s ethnic composition currently stands at 62 per cent Malay, 16 per cent Indian and 15 per cent Chinese.
Nik Nazmi said the large proportion of first-time party members suggested that many voters were searching for a political alternative outside existing parties.
He also revealed that several sitting lawmakers from both government and opposition parties had approached Bersama about joining.
According to him, the number extends beyond the five PKR MPs who have previously been the subject of speculation.
“But we have told them to wait for now, because there are many considerations including the stability of the government. It is not that we have not thought about this,” he told Berita Harian today.
Rafizi and Nik Nazmi formally assumed control of Bersama on May 17 before resigning from Parliament the following day.
