‘PBM can join BN if there is consensus’

SEREMBAN: Parti Bangsa Malaysia’s (PBM) application to join Barisan Nasional will only be approved if there is a consensus among its four current members, says the coalition’s deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad, who is also Umno deputy president, said the leaders were scheduled to meet next week to discuss the matter.

“The four of us will deliberate on this and only if there is a consensus will PBM be made a member.

“If one doesn’t agree, then it will not happen,” he said when met on the sidelines of the state assembly sitting here yesterday.

Apart from Umno, Barisan is made up of MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS).

On Aug 3, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin was quoted as saying that PBM had submitted its application to join Barisan three weeks before that.

Zuraida, who is PBM president- designate, quit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in May to join PBM.

Mohamad said Zuraida had met him at his office last month to state the party’s intention to join Barisan.

He then told her to write officially to Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“All I told her was that there is no one individual or party in Barisan that can decide on this.

“There has to be a consensus,” he added.

He said Barisan leaders would look at all aspects before deciding on PBM’s application as it did not wish to offend other parties that had applied to join the coalition.

“The difference with PBM is that it has MPs and assemblymen.

“We will discuss this in detail before deciding as we do not want to hurt the feelings of our friends who are not full members,” he said, referring to Friends of BN which comprises Makkal Sakti, Indian Progressive Front, Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress, Parti Cinta Malaysia, Malaysian Indian United Party and Parti Punjabi Malaysia.

Mohamad said Barisan values the support of all these parties although they are not full members of the coalition.

“Some have been our friends for some 30 years and we truly appreciate them.

“We have asked them to become Friends of BN first as they do not have elected representatives,” he said, adding that the Barisan leadership was considering allowing candidates from these parties to contest in suitable seats in the coming general election.

Mohamad also confirmed a statement by Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki that at least seven political parties, including PBM, had applied to join Barisan.