SEBERANG JAYA REP DR AFIF WANTS TO JOIN BERSATU

GEORGE TOWN, June 24 -- Seberang Jaya state assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin said today that he is willing to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) to continue serving the people effectively.

Dr Afif said he had conveyed his intention to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Bersatu president, at a meeting in Putrajaya yesterday.

However, Dr Afif said he had not submitted an application to Bersatu yet.

"Before this I had heard rumours from PKR insiders that I would be expelled by the party. But until now I have yet to receive a letter of termination.

"I want to join Bersatu because I want to help the people. So, I will sit in the opposition bench in the next Penang State Legislative Assembly meeting,” he told Bernama when contacted.

Yesterday, Dr Afif and several other Penang state assemblymen from PKR, Bersatu and PAS met Muhyiddin in Putrajaya.

The others who attended the meeting were PKR’s Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh), Bersatu’s Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifli Md Lazim (Teluk Bahang), and PAS’ Mohd Yusni Mat Piah (Penaga).

Penang PKR acting chairman Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, in a statement today, said Dr Afif had been expelled by the PKR disciplinary board.

Muhammad Bakhtiar, however, said he did not have details of the expulsion.

Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister and state Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the latest development would not affect the stability of the Penang state government as PH still has a strong majority.

Penang has 40 seats, with PH controlling 34 seats through DAP (19), PKR (13) and Parti Amanah Negara (two), while UMNO has two seats, Bersatu has three and PAS, one seat.

-- BERNAMA