Saifuddin welcomes Bersatu plan to give non-bumi leadership roles

CYBERJAYA, Aug 25 -- Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah has welcomed a proposal by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to allow non-Bumiputera members to hold positions in the party.

Saifuddin, the Indera Mahkota Member of Parliament, said he viewed this as an important development for the party.

“When we from Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s group wanted to join Bersatu, there were some non-Bumiputeras among us. We are not going to leave them on their own,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after launching Oryctes, Malaysia’s first spot precision drone designed specifically for oil palm plantations at the Futurise premises here today. 

Saifuddin thanked the Bersatu president for announcing that a committee had been set up to study the possibility of amending the party constitution to accommodate these non-Bumiputera members.

“To me this is an important matter because we should be celebrating members who left Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) including non-Bumiputeras,” he said.

Saifuddin said this would be a boost to Perikatan Nasional (PN). 

“There will be diversity in Perikatan Nasional. This is because there are parties dominated by a single race and if Bersatu is open to non-Bumiputeras, there will be a party in the coalition with mixed membership,” he said.

On Saturday, Muhyiddin said Bersatu planned to create a new chapter to allow non-Bumiputera associate members to hold positions in the party.

The prime minister said a committee headed by veteran politician Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim would study this proposal and make recommendations to the Bersatu Supreme Council.

On the same day, former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali officially announced his joining Bersatu together with nine other MPs formerly from PKR, including Saifuddin. 

-- BERNAMA