KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin is open to completing her term as a Cabinet minister.

       The Plantations Industry and Commodity Minister previously said that she might relinquish her position as minister following the announcement of her departure from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).

       Following her departure, Bersatu had expressed its intention to propose one of its leaders as Zuraida’s successor in the Cabinet.

       “Of course I want to serve the country and the rakyat,” Zuraida said when asked if she wanted to stay on in her ministerial post.

       “Yes, I am open to finishing my term,” she said on the sidelines of a press conference yesterday.

       She said it was, however, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s prerogative on whether she remained with the Cabinet.

       She has yet to meet Ismail Sabri to discuss her position in the Cabinet.

       Meanwhile, PBM president Larry Sng said the party hoped that Ismail Sabri would retain Zuraida as a minister.

       At the press conference yesterday, Sng also announced that Zuraida, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ampang, would serve as the president-designate for PBM.

       The Julau MP said the party’s political bureau and supreme council had agreed to it.

       Zuraida applied to join PBM on May 26 and her membership officially came into effect yesterday.

       On whether Zuraida would be taking over the leadership mantle from him, Sng said the matter of transition would take time.

       Preparations are ongoing for the party’s annual general meeting which is slated to take place in August.

       However, Sng added that in his absence at meetings, Zuraida would be taking the lead.

       “PBM has already given the mandate to the president-designate to lead the delegation to meet other party leaders in terms of admission to any particular coalition,” he said.

       On whether more former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members who defected to Bersatu were expected to join PBM, Sng said his party was open to accepting membership from anyone who was interested, adding that “the party is not closing its doors to any particular group”.

       Sng was also formerly with PKR, where he served as the party’s Sarawak chief until he called it quits in February 2021. He was appointed PBM president on Jan 8.

       He also said PBM had already initiated the process of joining Barisan Nasional.

       “We will have to wait for a little bit of time for them to consider and discuss it,” he said.

       Apart from Sng and Zuraida, the press conference was also attended by PBM secretary-general Nor Hizwan Ahmad, vice-president Steven Choong Shiau Yoon, deputy president Haniza Mohamed Talha and Women’s wing chief Dr Daroyah Alwi.