THE Bersatu leadership will hold an emergency meeting today after four of its lawmakers pledged support for the unity government, party president Muhyiddin Yassin said.

He said what the four MPs did was against the party’s stand and a serious breach of party discipline.

“It is also against the mandate of the people who elected them based on the confidence and principles of Perikatan Nasional’s struggles,” Muhyiddin said in a statement today.

“I have received information that this is a move by the opposition parties to weaken Perikatan Nasional and Bersatu, by using bribes and threats to (win over) the MPs.

The four who have pledged their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government are: Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang).

“Bersatu will not bow to this, and stern action will be taken. I urge Bersatu members to remain calm in defending the party’s principles while the top leadership handles the matter,” said Muhyiddin.

Yesterday, Zahari became the fourth lawmaker from Bersatu to pledge support for the Anwar administration in less than a month.

Echoing his colleagues who have made the move, Zahari said he wanted to prioritise the people’s needs so that his constituency is not left behind in development.

“I am aware that the people’s needs must be prioritised, and development must continue without any compromise.

“In these challenging times, as a lawmaker, I have to provide the best service for Jeli constituents,” he said in a statement today.

Zahari said he will support the government policies to revive the economy until the next general election.

Like the three other elected representatives who preceded him, Zahari said he remained loyal to Bersatu and would not leave the party.

Like them, he also said his decision was made “without coercion, influence, and pressure”.

Zahari said he was ready to face disciplinary action from the party, which last week suspended the membership of Iskandar for four years and Suhaili for six years. – November 9, 2023.