Azmin, nine MPs join Bersatu - source

A source close to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has confirmed that Azmin Ali and nine other MPs have joined the party.

This is after Bersatu secretary-general Marzuki Yahya in a statement today said that "36 Bersatu MPs" had attended a meeting earlier.

Previously, Bersatu only had 26 MPs including Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The additional 10 are from Azmin's (photo) camp.

This makes Segamat MP Edmund Santhara Bersatu's first non-Bumiputera, non-Muslim lawmaker.

Malaysiakini was made to understand that Ranau MP Jonathan Yasin did not join Bersatu.

This is after Jonathan U-turned on his allegiance to Azmin's camp yesterday, saying he had never quit PKR in a now-deleted Facebook post.

The Bersatu MPs had met with the party's chairperson, Mahathir, at Yayasan al-Bukhary.

Marzuki said the meeting decided to nominate Muhyiddin as prime minister, for the Agong's consideration.

He did not say if the decision was unanimous.

Mahathir, who is interim prime minister, has been pushing to form a unity government that transcends party lines and is unwilling to work with Umno en bloc.

However, the nonagenarian said Muhyiddin had a more relaxed stance and was willing to work with Umno as a party.

If the decision to back Muhyiddin is unanimous, then Bersatu — together with BN and PAS — will have 97 MPs, more than 92 MPs backing Pakatan Harapan. - Mkini