Amid flood emergency, new Parti Bangsa Malaysia linked to Zuraida to launch tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), which has been linked to several PKR defectors who left the party for Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia has announced its official launch tomorrow.

The launch is scheduled to take place at 2.30pm tomorrow at a hotel in Klang, Selangor, one of the districts badly hit by Sunday’s unprecedented floods.

In the invite to the media, it has dubbed itself “a new force” in the political landscape and included the slogan of “Malaysia is Home, Malaysians are Family” — which may be a nod to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s “Keluarga Malaysia” concept.

The invite was also sent by the NGO called Penggerak Komuniti Negara, linked to Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin and formed under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government when she was heading it.

The party, formerly known as the Sarawak Workers Party, had officially applied for the name change on October 27 this year.

Malay newspaper Berita Harian reported in October that Zuraida was tipped to lead the party.

In the report, Zuraida did not deny the rumour but said she has yet to receive an offer at the time, and if she did she would “consider”.

Malay Mail is seeking new clarification from Zuraida over her alleged involvement in the new party.

PBM’s current president is Mohamad Sukri Yusri, while Julau MP and former PKR member Larry Sng is the deputy.

Last year in June, English daily The Star reported that the PKR defectors were forming a new party called Parti Keadilan Negara as their previous applications to join Bersatu after leaving PKR were still pending.

Two months later, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali led Zuraida and the other defectors to officially join Bersatu in a lavish “Kongres Negara” held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre.

Over 3,000 delegation from the four NGOs — Penggerak Komuniti Negara together with Pemuda Negara, Nations of Women, and Penggerak Wanita Muda Negara ― all civil societies with links to Azmin and his faction held the Bersatu flag after Azmin announced their loyalty to Bersatu.

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