Don’t fear opposition defectors, Mahfuz tells Amanah

Mohd Farhan Darwis Chan Kok Leong Mohd Farhan Darwis, Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 16 Dec 2018 12:40PM · 3 Comments

Mahfuz Omar says Amanah has an internal mechanism to deal with members who commit wrongdoings, which includes new members coming from opposition parties. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, December 16, 2018.

AMANAH must not fear or reject opposition defectors, said party vice-president Mahfuz Omar, who pointed out that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad too was once from the other side.

However, he said that those wanting to join Amanah and Pakatan Harapan must leave their old habits of using politics to make money.

“We had difficulties accepting Dr Mahathir. We rejected him because of our fight against Umno. We have a black history with Dr Mahathir.

“But we must be open-minded in accepting outsiders who want to join us. As in Dr Mahathir’s case, it was only after so many talks and explanations that we understood we could fight together,” he said at the winding-up session at the Amanah convention in Ipoh today.

The deputy human resources minister said Amanah had an internal mechanism to deal with members who committed wrongdoings, which included new members coming from opposition parties.

“They must cast away their old habits of enriching themselves through political patronage,” he said.

He urged Amanah members not to be worried about former Umno or PAS leaders joining any PH parties, or Amanah itself.

“Don’t fear. We have self-discipline. And we will take action if anyone commits any wrongdoing after joining us,” he said.

Following its heavy defeat in GE14, Umno’s MPs and state representatives are deserting their party and trying to join PH components, especially Bersatu.

In September, Mahfuz said PAS members have been jumping to join its splinter party Amanah following the Islamic party’s possible alliance with Umno.

He said a record 12,000 people joined Amanah in August, most of them former PAS members.

Last week, five Sabah Umno elected representatives and two senators quit the party and expressed their support for Dr Mahathir’s government.

Following that, six Umno MPs from peninsular Malaysia – Hamzah Zainudin (Larut), Rosol Wahid (Hulu Terengganu), Shabudin Yahaya (Tasek Gelugor), Mohd Faisah Mohd Fakeh (Sabak Bernam), Latiff Ahmad (Mersing), and Ikmal Hisham (Tanah Merah) – also decided to leave Umno to back Dr Mahathir and PH’s administration.

They are expected to join Bersatu, following the footsteps of five others previously, including Mustapa Mohamed.

However, not everyone is happy with the defections from Umno to PH parties, especially to Bersatu.

DAP leaders have expressed concerns with the defections, pointing out that the voters had voted out Barisan Nasional and Umno in the last general election as they were frustrated with them. – December 16, 2018.

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Comments

  • Must be something in Putrajaya that makes hitherto wise pakatan politicians, which now stupefies them.
    For, why must PH accept these bunch of UMNO lanuns in the immediate?
    Let them prove themselves until the next GE.
    THen if they are worthy, PH can consider their application.
    Otherwise any Ahmad, Ah Chong and Muthu can see that is clearly political opportunistism.

    Posted 7 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • Poppycock. This applies to all component parties in PH. The recent toads like Pandikar Amin, Salleh Keruak...why would any party want such lalangs who less than a year ago were Najibs biggest cheerleaders? Politics does require pragmatism but it also needs its politicians to meet minimum standards of principles. That IS what PH stood for, so stand true to it all of you, PPBM especially. At the very least, dont accept them immediately, make them prove they are true in their support for reform before considering accepting them into PH. Let the frogs remain as Independents and once these plus PH MPs equal two thirds, push through all laws that need to be changed to institutionalise the much needed reform you promised Tun, LGE, Anwar, Md Sabu. This blind acceptance thing is nonsense. The lame excuses you use to justify it laughable.

    Posted 7 years ago by Mahsuri Smiles · Reply

  • Now we know, Mahathir has been using to rebuild Umno via your backdoor. Wake up now dude

    Posted 7 years ago by Ti Mix · Reply