Mukhriz: PPBM to consider grassroots’ views on ex-Umno members

PPBM deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir says the party would ensure that its acceptance of former Umno members will not tarnish its reputation.

PUTRAJAYA: PPBM will consider the views of the grassroots before deciding on applications from former Umno members to join the party, its deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir said.

The Kedah menteri besar, who chairs a committee to vet applications from ex-Umno members, said it would first get feedback from the divisions concerned.

“Some (divisions) can accept because they think they will have an elected representative in the division,” he told Bernama in an interview at PICC here.

He said some divisions, however, were against having former Umno MPs or assemblymen in PPBM because of their alleged wrongdoings.

“Although there is no official report (on the wrongdoings), this kind of people cannot be accepted as they may bring the bad culture into PPBM,” Mukhriz said.

Besides the screening by the committee, he said former Umno leaders in PPBM, including himself and president Muhyiddin Yassin, knew those who had left Umno.

“We know of their political habits while in Umno,” he said, adding that PPBM would ensure the migration of opposition members into the party would not affect its reputation and image.

He said there was also no need for the grassroots leaders in PPBM to fear that the acceptance of former Umno members would reduce their chances of becoming candidates in the next general election.

Mukhriz said the former Umno members should realise the mistakes by their former party and apologise publicly for it.

“I see that some of those who expressed their desire to jump party do not realise this, (it’s) like they don’t feel guilty,” he added.

He said an apology from the former Umno members would reduce the “discomfort” among PPBM members over accepting them into the party.

Asked about the opinion of other component parties in Pakatan Harapan (PH) on the matter, Mukhriz said he had explained it to the PH Presidential Council that PPBM was serious when it came to its filtering process of former opposition members who wanted to join the party.

Mukhriz said he believed there were elected representatives from the opposition who were keen to join other PH component parties and regarded it as strengthening the government in Parliament. - FMT