BERSATU will not simply accept any application, be it from an influential person or a layman, to join the party, said its president, Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also home minister, said all membership applications would undergo a vetting process so that any acceptance into Bersatu will not be in conflict with the party’s goals or contravene the party’s rules.

“To join other parties, they must go through a cooling-off period. We have the same rule as well and they must also fulfil other conditions, like not having any corruption, abuse of power and criminal cases against them.

“We have our own processes and procedures, and there is no automatic acceptance. We even rejected some right from the start,” he said at a press conference after officiating the Melaka Bersatu Convention 2018 at Stadium Hang Jebat in Krubong, Malacca, today.

He said many Umno members now realised that the party was in crisis and had no direction when it comes to defending the rights of Malays.

“We can see now that they are increasingly aware, conscious and realise what they did was wrong. Now, they know their party is not what it used to be anymore, so they are switching camps. On the basis of understanding, we must not simply reject (their applications),” he said.

On Wednesday, Umno Sabah’s entire liaison committee members and almost all its divisional chiefs in the state, including five MPs, nine assemblymen and two senators, quit the party.

Six more Umno representatives resigned from the party on Friday.

Former Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik announced his decision to quit Umno today before submitting his membership application form to join Bersatu. – Bernama, December 16, 2018.