KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has welcomed talk that two independent Sarawakian MPs could be interested in joining her fledgling Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).

       The PBM president-designate noted she would be keen for Sri Aman MP Datuk Masir Kujat and Lubok Antu MP Tambat Jugah Muyang, as well as other elected representatives, to join their ranks.

       ALSO READ: Zuraida appointed PBM’s president-designate

       “I would welcome them if they wanted to join me. I would appreciate them coming to strengthen my bloc,” she said, when asked of the chances of the duo making the move to PBM.

       “They are most welcome to join my party - the more the merrier (and) the happy they will be,” Zuraida said this to reporters after attending the Malaysian Cocoa Industry Awards ceremony in Kota Kinabalu on Wednesday (June 22).

       ALSO READ: Zuraida quits Bersatu to join PBM

       Speculation has been growing that both Masir and Tambat, both party-less since leaving their previous parties, are planning to join PBM.

       It was also previously reported that PBM secretary-general Nor Hizwan Ahmad had hinted that more government MPs could be joining the party.

       Masir had quit Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) last March 30 and pledged his full support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       He had explained then that his decision to leave PSB was made after holding discussions with grassroots supporters in his constituency as well as several other factors such as the political situation in the country that had affected the well-being of the people.

       ALSO READ: Zuraida a good fit for PBM, says party veep Choong

       Tambat, on the other hand, announced he was leaving PKR in June 2020, saying that he would become an independent lawmaker who fully supported Perikatan Nasional and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

       Tambat, who won the Lubok Antu seat as independent candidate in GE14 before joining PKR, said he felt frustrated with the internal squabbles between component parties within Pakatan Harapan and then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad quitting, which led to the fall of the Pakatan administration.

       On PBM’s presence in Sabah, Zuraida said the party already has its grassroots in 26 state divisions including in Labuan, adding that they are led by its state chairman Rahimah Majid who is also a PBM vice-president.

       “The party is formed by the grassroots, from the bottom up (and not vice versa),” she said.

       Since launching the party in December last year, she said, PBM now has 190 divisions throughout the country.