MOHAMADDIN Ketapi has quit Bersatu barely a year after joining the party. He is the latest lawmaker to dump Muhyiddin Yassin’s party after Zuraida Kamaruddin quit in May.

The Lahad Datu MP, who is also the Segama assemblyman, said he will stand as an Independent lawmaker who is friendly with the the federal and Sabah governments.

In a statement, the former tourism, arts and culture minister said that as a member of the Umno splinter party, he could not do much to develop the state and parliamentary seats he represented.

“I was promised a role to lead the party in my constituency but six months later there was no role for me,” he said.

Mohammaddin, formerly of Warisan, said his supporters who had joined him in Bersatu were also not given any positions in the division branches.

Mohammaddin left Warisan in October 2021 and to become an Independent aligned with the state ruling coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). He joined Bersatu in November last year.

Zuraida, who is the plantation industries and commodities minister,  defected from PKR to Bersatu, a move that helped to oust the Pakatan Harapan government in February 2020.

She was appointed to the cabinet in the subsequent Perikatan Nasional government, a role she retained  after Muhyiddin was replaced by Ismail in August last year.

Earlier this month, the Ampang MP quit the party to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia, saying she would quit the cabinet once she had met with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to discuss her position. – June 28, 2022.