FORMER Umno stalwart Rais Yatim said he wouldn’t be surprised if more party leaders and members were to leave Barisan Nasional’s lynchpin party.

He said Pakatan Harapan (PH) parties should also accept ex-Umno members who wanted to join them, provided the defectors were committed to upholding reforms.

“If people like Bersatu, so be it,” said the former socio-cultural adviser to the government who joined Bersatu before the 14th general election.

“Who knows, there might be more senior leaders in Umno who want to leave the party,” Rais said after officiating the book launch of an autobiography on the late Muslim intellectual Kassim Ahmad in Kuala Lumpur today.

He was commenting on the Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed and Kimanis MP Anifah Aman who quit Umno earlier this week, saying their decisions should be respected.

“(PH parties should) definitely accept (former Umno members ). We should accept those who support democracy and justice and those who are not self-seeking.

Mustapa and Anifah’s departure from Umno come as speculation is rife that more of its MPs will leave the party after its shock defeat in the recent general election.

Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi also told The Malaysian Insight recently that more Umno members are likely to follow, as the party grapples with the fallout of 1Malaysia Development Bhd Scandal and Umno’s attempts to forge an alliance with the Islamist PAS. – September 21, 2018.