PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad today handed out the party’s membership cards to former Sabah Umno chief Hajiji Noor, Azizah Mohd Dun, Masidi Manjun, Ronald Kiandee, Abdul Rahim Bakri, Zakaria Edris, Abdul Ghani Yassin and John Ambrose.

Mahathir also said PPBM officers will be going to Sabah on April 6.

“We haven’t gone there yet but there are requests from more people to be part of PPBM,” he said at a press conference after distributing the membership cards to the eight.

He said that even though Warisan is not part of Pakatan Harapan, PPBM members will support the party.

“We do not have any intention to sideline or replace Warisan,” he said.

Warisan leader Shafie Apdal is the Sabah chief minister.

Asked if former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman’s son, Sipitang MP Yamani Hafez, will join PPBM, Mahathir replied: “Not yet, we will look into it.”

On whether six other assemblymen from Sabah will be joining PPBM, he replied: “Yes, I think they will be joining.”

The assemblymen who left Sabah Umno are Musbah Jamli (Tempasuk), Japlin Akin (Usukan), Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar (Kawang), Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif (Membakut), Isnin Aliasnih (Klias), Matbali Musbah (Lumadan), Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan (Apas).

Musbah joined Warisan on Jan 27.

Mahathir also said Kiandee would remain the Public Accounts Committee chief despite joining the government.

“The position is (usually) held by an opposition member but that is only a policy and not part of the constitution,” he said.

Hajiji later told reporters he was willing to be the Sabah PPBM chief if asked to.

He said he had no problems working with Warisan and Shafie.