Dr M vows Umno will not take over Bersatu

INTERVIEW | Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave his assurance that his party, Bersatu, will not be taken over by Umno defectors.

"We are also concerned (by the spate of Umno defections). We don't want to give the impression that Umno is taking over Bersatu.

"We are very serious about vetting these people," he said in an interview at the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya.

Mahathir was responding to a question on whether Pakatan Harapan leaders had approached him personally to express their concerns about the raft of Umno leaders seeking refuge within his party.

The latest former Umno leader to make the move is former Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik, who handed in his application to join Bersatu on Sunday.

It was announced the following day that Bersatu would work with the MACC in its committee to ensure that Umno defectors wanting to join the party are free from corruption.

Mahathir has been adamant that those who quit Umno must stay as independents for a time before joining Bersatu, and even then cannot hold positions within the party. 

Followers, not leaders

Regardless, the prime minister stressed that Bersatu leaders would not be easily influenced by defectors and that the party would only take in "followers."

"The followers... some of them followed because they did not participate in formulating the policies of Umno, or even leading the party.

"They are ordinary members. They were chosen to become candidates and they won.

"Now they have seen the accusations levelled against (former Umno president) Najib Abdul Razak and they feel Umno is no longer the party that it was, and that it is no longer struggling for the principles on which it was formed," Mahathir said.

Among the Umno defectors accepted into Bersatu are former international trade minister Mustapa Mohamed and former deputy tourism minister Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin.

Umno was rocked by a string of departures last week.

The Sabah Umno exodus last Wednesday included at least four MPs, who pledged their support for Harapan and Mahathir.

Six more Umno MPs quit two days later – including former domestic trade minister Hamzah Zainuddin, who warned that more lawmakers would be walking out the door.

The exodus sparked concern among Bersatu's partners in Harapan, who called on the party to reject party hoppers.

However, Mahathir said not all Umno members should be condemned for "mistakes made by their leader". - Mkini