By Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 11: Former PKR Sarawak MPs Ali Biju (Saratok) and Willie Mongin (Puncak Borneo) have joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
This was confirmed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today that all former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) MPs who have exited the party had joined Bersatu.
“Yes, in fact their applications have been agreed upon by the Bersatu Supreme Council when we had our meeting.
“Datuk Seri (Mohamed) Azmin (Ali) together with 10 others have come and the Supreme Council has accepted their application to join us. That is as far as the party is concerned,” he told a press conference after chairing the first federal Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya today.
The 11 PKR MPs aligned to Azmin, who is now the International Trade and Industry Minister, announced their decision to leave the party and Pakatan Harapan (PH) coaltion on Feb 24 to form an independent bloc in Parliament.
The 10 MPs were 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).
However, the fate of Baru Bian is still unknown after he decided to support former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the last minute. Baru has not been making any public statements since.
In the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government federal cabinet, Ali and Willie has been appointed Deputy Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources and Plantation Industries and Commodities respectively. —DayakDaily
