PAKATAN Harapan would welcome the assemblymen and lawmakers who left Umno today, provided they supported the coalition and had not done anything wrong in the past, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

He said he met last week with the elected representatives, who informed him of their intention to quit the Malay party.

“Yes, they met me. They came to tell me they want to leave Umno,” he said at the launch of the Proton-Geely X70, in Kuala Lumpur, tonight.

Before they were admitted into the fold, however, the Pakatan Harapan chairman said the ex-Umno members must remain independent for a time.

“We have to see how they behave. If they are supportive and they haven’t done anything wrong in the past, we will accept them.”

Dr Mahathir declined to say whether it was true that he had worked with Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein to engineer the exodus.

“They want to come out, they have their own minds. If they don’t like to come out, they can stay.”

More than half of Sabah Umno’s top leaders quit the party today, citing loss of faith in the central leadership.

Sabah Umno liaison chief Hajiji Mohd Noor led the departure of  five MPs, nine assemblymen and 21 division heads.

The loss has reduced Umno’s seats in Parliament to 43, and one representative in the state assembly.

Hajiji pledged allegiance to the Pakatan Harapan federal government led by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and to the Warisan-led state government helmed by Mohd Shafie Apdal.

“We will remain independent until the time we find a new suitable party,” said Hajiji. – December 12, 2018.