THIRTY-SIX Barisan Nasional (BN) federal lawmakers have signed a pledge of allegiance to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said Larut MP Hamzah Zainuddin, who quit Umno today.

Once ardent supporter of former prime minister Najib Razak, former minister Hamzah said the BN lawmakers wanted to ensure Dr Mahathir kept his job.

“There are 33 from Umno, one from Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and two from MIC who signed (the letters of) support for the prime minister. This was not decided a day or two ago. It was decided about a month ago,” he said in an interview with the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) newspaper.

“This group sincerely wants to ensure that the government is stable and ensure that no one uses Parliament to dethrone the prime minister because we are hearing such (talk).

“If the political situation is not stable, it would cause problems to the people. That is why we want stability and we support the prime minister to lead. This is all in the nation and the people’s interest,” he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

Asked if Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was aware of this development, Hamzah replied that the “boss” was unaware.

Hamzah said he and his colleagues had colluded to ensure that Zahid was kept in the dark.

Umno has now lost 16 MPs and many more state representatives since the May 9 elections.

Four former Umno MPs and several former key Umno leaders have since joined Bersatu. More are expected to join Bersatu in the coming days. – December 14, 2018.