Azmin and gang are now Bersatu members, claims Muhyiddin's aide

PETALING JAYA: The bloc of former PKR MPs who defected with Datuk Seri Azmin Ali have joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

The ten MPs applied to Bersatu and received their membership this morning (Feb 28) from Bersatu chairman and interim Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

This was confirmed by an aide to Bersatu President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"They joined this morning; there were 10 of them who attended a meeting with 26 other Bersatu MPs," said the aide.

He said that there were all there to decide on proposing to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah that Muhyiddin should be the eighth Prime Minister.

The one missing from the bloc was MP Ranau Jonathan Yasin, whom the aide said could not make it in time for the meeting.

On Feb 24, the 11 announced they were leaving PKR and would become independents.

The 11 MPs are Azmin (Gombak), Zuraida Kamaruddin (Ampang), Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota), Baru Bian (Selangau), Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar (Bandar Tun Razak), Datuk Mansor Othman (Nibong Tebal), Datuk Rashid Hasnoon (Batu Pahat), Datuk Seri Santhara Kumar (Segamat), Ali Biju (Saratok), Willie Mongin (Puncak Borneo) and Jonathan Yasin (Ranau).

Among them are four former full ministers.

The 11 MPs also held major top positions in PKR and are aligned to Azmin, against the faction of PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.