BAGAN Serai MP Noor Azmi Ghazali, who previously quit Umno to be an independent, has joined Bersatu

Noor Azmi’s decision to join Bersatu meant the party now has 15 lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat.

Noor Azmi had pledged his support to the Pakatan Harapan government and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he quit Umno.

“I will also support Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu and the state government. I hope the people will understand and accept my decision,” he added.

In a press conference at the Bersatu headquarters in Petaling Jaya today, Dr Mahathir said: “We welcome several senators from Parliment into Bersatu after they have fulfilled certain criteria. We are ready to take them in because we know we are short of the two-thirds majority, which impedes us from fulfilling our promises.”   

“We welcome them and our condition – for a year after joining Bersatu – is that they cannot hold any posts.” 

Aside from Dr Azmi, four other senators were announced to be joining Bersatu – Khairudin E.S. Abd Samad, Suhaimi Abdullah, Isa Abdul Hamid and Akman Ito.

Before today’s announcement, the four-party ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition had 117 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, plus nine MPs from allies Parti Warisan Sabah and four independent MPs.

There are 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat. A total of 148 seats is needed for a two-thirds majority. 

The Bersatu chairman said the government did not have enough lawmakers to fulfil several promises made in PH’s election manifesto. 

“There have been several things that needs a two-thirds (majority). With them joining us, we might get the numbers we need,” Dr Mahathir said.

Among the PH election pledges yet to be fulfilled are separating the role of public prosecutor from that of attorney-general, reducing the term of the prime minister to two terms and the redelineation of electoral boundaries. – November 28, 2018.