KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Dr Wan Ismail has reiterated that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) will not accept former Umno leaders as it was not sure if they could bring about a reform agenda for the country.
By making her stand on the matter, the PKR Advisory Council chairman had also assured those who had joined the party before the 14th General Election (GE14) that it was obvious they were there because of the reform agenda.
“At the moment, we will not accept Umno (members). Those who have been with us before GE14 have given us the confidence and faith that they want reforms.
“As for the others, we need to see. We have to engage them. The people have sought change and a new government to bring reforms to the country,“ she said at the Parliament lobby after winding up at the Dewan Negara sitting here today.
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was recently reported to have said that PKR would not consider accepting former Umno leaders to join the party despite a request from some Umno leaders.
Recently, six more MPs from Umno had announced that they were leaving the party and were Independent Members of Parliament (MPs).
They were Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid; Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (Tanah Merah); Datuk Shabudin Yahaya (Tasek Gelugor); Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (Larut), Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh (Sabak Bernam) and Datuk Dr Latiff Ahmad (Mersing).
On Wednesday almost the entire leadership line-up from Sabah Umno which included five MPs, nine state assemblymen and two senators announced they were leaving the party and their reason for doing so was because the party had no clear direction. — Bernama
