7 MPs to quit PAS, join new party, says report

Seven MPs from PAS will join the New Hope Movement (GHB) splinter group once it becomes a political party, The Star reported. GHB secretary Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that the seven would remain as MPs as PAS could only sack them from the party but not as elected representatives. Dzulkefly declined to name the seven in the report but those currently aligned to the splinter group were said to be Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, Parit Buntar MP Datuk Dr Mujahid Rawa, Kuala Krai MP Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, Shah Alam MP Datuk Khalid Samad, Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, Tumpat MP Kamarudin Jaffar and Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud. The report said that the seven MPs moving out of PAS would weaken the Islamist party as a force in the Dewan Rakyat by one-third, which would make it impossible for the Islamist party to push for hudud law. GHB was also said to be unaffected by the deputy prime minister's statement that the Registrar of Societies (RoS) would not accept the application to name the new party Parti Progresif Islam. One of its movers, Mujahid, was quoted as saying that they would nevertheless announce the new party today which is slated for a launch at 3pm today in the Malaysian capital. “We do not know why RoS wants to reject the name. “Islam is the religion of the Federation. “There should be no problem using the word 'Islam' to name parties, unless they are trying to make it difficult for GHB to form the new party,” Mujahid was quoted as saying. He had also said that Islam would be the basis of the new party where they would project the religion as being progressive and inclusive, the report said. – August 31, 2015.