Ministerial posts? Bersatu: We want We want We still VERY VERY much want

Wan Saiful refutes claim Bersatu wants to be excluded from Ismail's govt

Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan has refuted claims that his party is considering excluding itself from Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s new government.

Ismail is set to be sworn in as the new prime minister later today after securing the support of 114 MPs, including unanimous backing from Bersatu.

Wan Saiful said claims that Bersatu won’t join the cabinet was “fake” and had “ill intent aimed at splitting Bersatu”.

He was responding to a report alleging that the proposal had come from Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

This was purportedly to distance Bersatu from “kleptocrats”.

Bersatu supreme council member Muhammad Faiz Na’aman said party leaders were never informed of any such proposal.

“No such thing was discussed,” he told Malaysiakini.

Faiz said it was never raised at the previous Bersatu supreme council meeting nor was Muhyiddin present during the meeting.

He added that it was illogical for Bersatu to support Ismail as the prime minister but not join his cabinet.

Muhyiddin had resigned as the prime minister after losing his majority. Fifteen Umno MPs, a number of whom are facing graft charges, had withdrawn their support for him.

However, 14 out of the 15 Umno MPs returned to the Perikatan Nasional’s fold after it was agreed that Ismail will take over as the prime minister.

Muhyiddin’s condition for PN to back Ismail was that he must not appoint leaders with criminal charges as ministers.

Ismail’s support among MPs will be identical to what Muhyiddin had prior to his ouster.

The coalition comprises PN (Bersatu, PAS, STAR, SAPP, Gerakan) and BN (Umno, MCA, MIC, PBRS), GPS (PBB, PRS, PDP SUPP), PBS and independent MPs.