JOHOR BARU: There is a possibility that as many as 40 Members of Parliament from Umno might jump ship and join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
Bersatu's Supreme Council member Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said the issue was discussed during the party meeting held in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
He revealed that 40 Umno MPs had met with Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
"However, we have yet to make any decision about accepting them as our party members," Kadir told reporters during the opening of Tebrau Bersatu division meeting here on Saturday.
Also present at the meeting was Tebrau Bersatu division chief Mazlan Bujang, who is also Johor Work, Infrastructure and Transportation Committee chairman.
He did not reveal the identities of the 40 Umno MPs.
Kadir said the only way for them to join Bersatu was to leave Umno first and become independent MPs before joining.
"They should resign and join us as an individuals and not as a grouping," he said, adding however that there was no guarantee they would be accepted as the party's members.