PONTIAN: Twenty branch leaders from the Tanjung Piai Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia division have signed letters pledging loyalty to the party.

       This comes after four office bearers including its secretary Hishamuddin Busri, who was the Pekan Nanas Timur branch chief, quit Bersatu and joined Parti Warisan on Sunday (Feb 6).

       Tanjung Piai Bersatu division chief Musa Khamis said with Hishamuddin leaving the party, the Pekan Nanas Timur branch was dissolved.

       “Tanjung Piai Bersatu is still strong. We now have 20 branches remaining with the division and only one has been dissolved, not five as Hishamuddin claimed.

       “I have also contacted all the remaining branch leaders and 13 have expressed their support to the party by signing letters,” he said during a press conference in Pekan Nanas here on Monday (Feb 7).

       Musa added that with the Johor polls getting closer, members leaving to join another party is part of politics.

       He also dismissed claims made by the former division leaders that more than 300 ordinary members had also left Bersatu.

       He added that the four had their memberships automatically revoked after joining Warisan.

       “I, together with my committee, will try to revive the branch in time for the Johor polls,” he said, adding that there were more than 2,000 Bersatu members in Tanjung Piai.

       On Sunday, a group of Bersatu members led by Hishamudin quit the party and claimed that five branches in the Pekan Nanas area were now dissolved.

       The branches are Pekan Nanas Timur, Pekan Nanas Selatan, Ladang Sos Malaya, Melayu Raya and Lubuk Sawah.

       They then presented their membership forms to Warisan vice president Datuk Junz Wong, who was also at the event.