KUALA LUMPUR: More Umno veterans are expected to join the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) soon.
Negri Sembilan Bersatu’s head Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim today revealed that many Umno members, particularly from Johor, Kelantan and Kedah, had expressed their intentions to join Bersatu.
“There are many of them but it would be inappropriate for me to reveal their names as they have their own way of doing this.
“They will announce it when the right time comes, according to the way they see best.
“Just like Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, a veteran who has had her own struggles and made her decision when it was best for her (to join the party),” he said when met after attending the launch of Koleksi Lukisan Wajah dan Budaya Etnik Malaysia exhibition today.
Rais, who was the former socio-cultural advisor to the government, was asked to comment on several Umno veterans such as Rafidah and former home minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, who joined Bersatu recently.
Commenting further, Rais said not only Umno veterans who had expressed their intentions to join Bersatu.
“The younger members in Umno also wanted to join Bersatu, a party lead by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“However, as what have been told by Dr Mahathir, their intention to join the party must be done willingly, with a real purpose and not for any rank or position.
“It is crucial to understand that any intention to join Bersatu is primarily to help the party with its struggles.”
He said those who wanted to join Bersatu must be willing to adopt and share new ideas.
“There were many old values and practices that had torn us apart in the past such as corruption, failure to adhere to the federal constitution, lack of productivity and the ‘warlord’ culture which have no place in Bersatu,” he said.