THE Sabah chapter of Bersatu will officially open for business when its top two leaders launch it on April 6.

Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and president Muhyiddin Yassin will do the honours at Padang Merdeka in Kota Kinabalu.

The former elected representatives from Umno are also expected to be inducted into the party as members.

There are eight assemblymen and five MPs from Umno who are currently sitting in the assembly and parliament as independents.

This comes after the former Sabah Umno Tampasuk assemblyman Musbah Jamli left Hajiji Mohd Noor’s group on January 15 to join Warisan
Sources close to former Sabah Umno leader cum Sulaman assemblyman Hajiji, and Karanaan assemblyman and former Sabah Umno secretary Masidi Manjun had met Muhyiddin on Friday in Kuala Lumpur to finalise arrangements for the launch.

“With Bersatu finally in Sabah, the Warisan-led government cannot deny the party will be the second largest in the state after Parti Warisan Sabah,” said a source familiar with the matter.

Hajiji and Masidi as well as seven other assemblymen and five MPs left Sabah Umno on December 12 last year.

On February 15, Dr Mahathir announced Bersatu will spread its wings to Sabah, making a U-turn from its electoral pledge not to enter the East Malaysia region in a verbal promise to Parti Warisan Sabah leader Mohd Shafie Apdal.  

The source confirmed that Hajiji is expected to be named as the Sabah Bersatu sponsor committee chairman. – March 10, 2019.