IPOH: A former Umno member who joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali denied allegations that those who left the Barisan Nasional component party were nothing more then a virus amounting to opportunists.
The Bagan Serai Member of Parliament said what was stated by Umno Vice-President Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin was merely an assumption and is his personal view.
Khaled on Sunday had labelled the party’s defectors who joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) as viruses that would eventually cause the Malay party’s downfall.
"As we all know and know that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also the Chairman of Bersatu said he himself would screen every individual who will join the party.
"Any person wishing to join Bersatu will be screened before their application to join the party is approved.
"If there is a problem, their application to join Bersatu will not be approved and will not be accepted," he said.
Asked whether Khaled's statement
would affect the participation of other ex-Umno MPs in Bersatu, Azmi declined to elaborate.
"This is an Umno affair I do not really want to comment, because I have moved on (from Umno)," he said.
Dr Noor Azmi was accepted into Bersatu on Nov 28, after being an independent after he quit Umno.
Since losing to the 14th General Election (GE-14), a total of 17 Umno MPs had quit the party with three of them joining Bersatu. Former Umno elected representatives who joined Bersatu includes Dr Noor Azmi; Jeli MP and former Umno Supreme Council Member Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and former Puteri Umno chief and Masjid Tanah MP, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin.
