PAS' Kedah opposition leader defects to Bersatu

PAS' Anak Bukit assemblyperson Amiruddin Hamzah, who is also the Kedah opposition leader, has defected to Bersatu.

Amiruddin's entry to Bersatu was announced at a press conference which was streamed live on Facebook.

"I believe that we need to go into this upcoming general election as united and strong as we can to face BN.

"What is important is that we need to be in a united coalition to face BN and I see that we can do this in Pakatan Harapan," he said in the press conference.

The press conference was attended by Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir, who is also the Kedah Bersatu chief, and the state leadership.

Amiruddin said that he had approached the Kedah PAS commissioner to see if there was any hope for PAS to work with Harapan.

He said he received confirmation that it was "near impossible" for that to happen.

As he believes that a pluralistic society requires a ruling party with diverse backgrounds, Amiruddin said he decided to join Harapan through Bersatu.

PAS leaders had previously labelled Amiruddin as a sympathiser of its splinter party Amanah.

Amiruddin was present when Amanah held its annual general assembly in Kedah last month.

When asked why he chose to join Bersatu instead of Amanah, he quipped that he was the exception to the rule.

"I did not know there was a thing that says those who leave PAS has to join Amanah.

"And even so, there is always an exception so I am an exception," he said.

With Amiruddin's entry to Bersatu, Harapan now has nine assemblypersons in the Kedah state assembly while PAS is down to seven.

However, PAS still retains the largest number of state assemblypersons from any one opposition party in the state. BN has 20 assemblypersons in the state assembly. - Mkini