BERSATU will not consider top Umno leaders who are tainted by corruption or scandal, said party deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir. 

He said there were several Umno leaders wishing to defect but they would have to be vetted first.

“I have already made it clear that there are some in the top leadership that we will never consider,” Mukhriz told reporters in Parliament today. 

The Jerlun lawmaker said it was unfair to say that all Umno leaders wished to swap their party colours for Bersatu red.

“I have to be fair to them. No, they have not expressed any interest in joining,” Mukhriz said. 

He also said Bersatu was not actively recruiting Umno parliamentarians, but had merely issued an open invitation.

Mukhriz said defections did not infringe on the democratic process and were a common occurrence in politics.

“I view this as a practice that does not violate the democracy. There is no law to stop parliamentarians from switching parties. If someone who wants to swap parties applies (for membership), we cannot reject their application,” he said.  

Bersatu Supreme Council member A Kadir Jasin had said that 40 MPs would leave Umno to join Bersatu in the next couple of weeks.

However, party chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad said those who left their parties and wished to join Bersatu should be independent for a period of time for assessment before they are taken in. – October 30, 2018.