4 Sabah MPs join Bersatu

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 5 years ago · Published on 15 Mar 2019 6:44PM · 0 Comments

Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the party's new members, who are formerly of Sabah Umno, in Putrajaya today. A total of 15 lawmakers have left Umno for Bersatu since GE14. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, March 15, 2019.

FOUR Sabah MPs received their Bersatu membership cards from chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.

They are Abd Rahim Bakri (Kudat), Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort), Dr Ronald Kiandee (Beluran) and Zakaria Mohd Edris (Libaran).

Two Sabah assemblymen, namely Masidi Manjun (Karanaan) and Hajiji Mohd Noor (Sulaman), as well as Senators John Ambrose and Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin, too, joined the Pakatan Harapan component.

The group, led by Hajiji, walked out of the state Umno last year.

A total of 15 lawmakers have left Umno for Bersatu since the 14th general election last May. With the latest additions, Bersatu has 26 MPs.

PH now has 129 MPs, 19 short of the two-thirds majority needed to make constitutional amendments.

Dr Mahathir and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin are scheduled to launch the party’s Sabah chapter in Kota Kinabalu on April 6.

“We are going to launch the party in Sabah on April 6. There are already many who want to join,” said Dr Mahathir at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

The prime minister said although Parti Warisan Sabah is not a PH party, it is an ally, and allocated positions by the federal government.

Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad (left) handing over a party membership card to Beluran MP Dr Ronald Kiandee in Putrajaya today. Kiandee will stay on as PAC chief, says Dr Mahathir. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, March 15, 2019.

“They have three ministers and two deputy ministers.

“We also support the Warisan government in Sabah. This means Bersatu members will back Warisan, and there’s no intention of replacing or setting aside Warisan in the state.”

He added that Bersatu’s presence in Sabah is only to support Warisan.

Asked about independent assemblymen and MPs who are reportedly keen to join his party, but have yet to, he said: “They will be joining.”

On Kiandee, Dr Mahathir said he will stay on as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman.

He said PH’s stance that the PAC chief’s post be held by the opposition “is not institutionalised”.

However, Kiandee can be replaced if the opposition gets enough support, he said.

Barisan Nasional has nominated Parit Sulong MP Noraini Ahmad to replace Kiandee.

The PAC chairman said he will abide by Dr Mahathir.

“As the PM has said I don’t have to resign, I won’t resign.” – March 15, 2019.

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