PPBM agrees to join Muafakat Nasional

(FMT) – PPBM has agreed to join Muafakat Nasional, the pact forged between Umno and PAS, its president Muhyiddin Yassin announced today.

In a video message to members, Muhyiddin also dismissed the notion that he betrayed PPBM ahead of party elections today.

“I did not betray the party. I founded this party and there is no reason for me to betray the party I founded,” he said.

He also spoke about Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former PPBM chairman whose membership was terminated for sitting on the opposition bench in the Dewan Rakyat.

“I cannot deny his contributions. I respect him as our former leader and people close to me know how much I respect him.

“We feel sad that he is no longer with us, it is okay. He has chosen his path and I wish him the best.

“We must move on,” he said, adding while that leaders come and go, the party’s struggle must continue.

Muhyiddin said PPBM’s decision to join Muafakat Nasional will see a bigger participation of political parties in the pact, which will be able to do more for all Malaysians.

“I believe this is the best choice for PPBM.

“We chose to be in the bigger coalition with Umno, PAS and other political parties which will see the majority of the rakyat with us,” he said, adding that this will create stability.

At the state level, Muhyiddin encouraged PPBM members to strengthen working relationships with members of PN component parties, as this will help the coalition to become stronger.

In just four years, he said, PPBM had set up 197 divisions and more than 2,000 branches, but more can be done.

“We need to increase the number of members and divisions to strengthen the party,” he told PPBM members, adding that they should make this part of their key performance index.

He said PPBM has managed to be part of the group of influential parties in Malaysia and has become “the main party at the federal and state levels”.

Muhyiddin also thanked those who played a part in setting up the party before GE14.

He said it was the “small men with brave hearts” at the grassroots level that had organised talks to create awareness of the party.

He said most of them used their own funds to organise talks nationwide but they continued to face challenges ahead of GE15.