Rafizi said PH should focus on issues relating to public welfare, echoing sentiment repeatedly made by PKR president and prime minister-in-waiting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) is jeopardising Pakatan Harapan’s support for next month’s Semenyih by-election by controversially accepting seven Umno defectors, PKR’s Rafizi Ramli asserted today.

The PKR vice-president said the move also betrayed the voters’ rejection of Umno and Barisan Nasional in last year’s general election.

“If it is to weaken Umno, it will not weaken Umno. It is seen as collecting rubbish and against the mandate given by the people in GE14 to reject Umno/BN,” Rafizi said in a tweet.

The ex-Pandan MP

On Tuesday, seven former Umno parliamentarians officially entered PPBM. They include Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Shabudin Yahaya, Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, Mersing MP Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad and Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh.

Yesterday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said PH will bring forward its monthly presidential council meeting to discuss PPBM’s move.

Pandangan saya - BERSATU terima bekas2 MP UMNO:



1) kalau utk lemahkan Umno, itu tidak melemahkan Umno



2) ia dilihat sbg mengutip sampah & berlawanan dgn mandat rakyat PRU14 tolak Umno/BN



3) ia melunturkan semangat penyokong PH ke arah PRK Semenyih



Saya cdg tumpu bela rakyat. — Rafizi Ramli (@rafiziramli) February 14, 2019

PPBM has sought to frame the move as necessary to give PH the parliamentary supermajority — 143 federal seats — it ostensibly needs to deliver all its reforms.

After registering an upset victory in the 14th general election, the PH government has been bleeding popularity due to ministers’ erratic policy announcements and a slew of broken election pledges

This has allowed BN, particularly vilified former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to chart an unlikely resurgence in popularity even with numerous criminal charges still hanging over the coalition leaders.

Both BN and PH are expected to name their candidates for the March 2 Semenyih by-election later today.