Amanah welcomes ex-Umno MPs

(MMO) – Amanah said today that they were ready to accept any Sabah MPs who left Umno recently, amid rumours of former Umno lawmakers moving towards Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) or PKR.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu said Amanah would discuss the matter within his party and also among Pakatan Harapan (PH) counterparts.

“If there are applications (to join us), we will discuss and decide on it. We are a democratic party,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after opening Amanah’s national convention at Casuarina Hotel @ Meru here today, Mohamad however stressed that the party had yet to discuss the latest exodus.

“Let them leave Umno first. We will discuss the matter from time to time,” he said.

Asked if the move would put PH and Amanah especially in a difficult situation, Mohamad said it would not put the parties in a tight spot.

“They can leave their party and stay outside. After this we will discuss. If there are applications to join any of the parties, we will discuss as they have positions,” he said.

He praised Umno MPs for leaving their party and described it as a smart move.

“The ship has sunk. All abandoning the ship,” he said.

A total of 3,000 delegates attended the three-day convention that ends this Sunday.

Sabah Umno lost on Wednesday nine out of its 10 assemblymen, four out of its five MPs, and most of its state liaison committee, with the defectors pledging support for Prime Minister and PPBM chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Previously, six MPs left Umno, three of whom — Jeli MP Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Bagan Serai MP Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali, and Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin — joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM). Another, Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli, joined Parti Warisan Sabah.

Senior Umno leader Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said yesterday that he would support PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister, while Anwar said separately that his party has been approached by several Umno leaders.